Examples of a Proper Christian Attitude

Well, thanks again, Jim. Happy Sabbath, brethren. We're glad to have you with us today on a beautiful, absolutely beautiful Sabbath day. Enjoy the summer, because pretty soon the leaves will be falling, and you know what happens after that, and it isn't. After the first snowfall, it's not pretty anymore.

Today I would like to begin a series to prepare us in various ways for the Kingdom of God seminars, which are going to be occurring here in a short period of time. You may or may not appreciate the fact that people are watching us. People tend to watch anyone, tend to label people, who are termed religious. When someone finds out that you are religious, they tend to begin watching you very closely to see if the attitudes and to see if the lifestyle and to see if the things that you say and do are compatible with what they believe is Christianity.

Our personal examples are very powerful. Our personal examples either attract people or they repel people. They have the ability to do that. And today I would like to begin the process of talking about examples and talking about our attitudes. Overall, I think it's a congregation of wonderful and beautiful attitudes among God's people here in Greater Cleveland. But there's always room for growth. There's always ways that we can improve and look at our lives and make our attitudes even more positive and beautiful and set even a more powerful example to not only our church but our families and the members of our community.

So that's what I would like to talk about today. I'd like to begin by reading you a statement. It was actually a plaque that was on one of my agents' walls a number of years ago when I was a regional sales manager. And here's what the plaque said.

It was entitled Attitude by General Charles Swindle. I don't know Mr. Swindle. I believe he's a minister. I've never read anything else that he's written. Never seen him. I don't know of him. But I thought that this was very powerful. Here's what the plaque said. It said, quote, The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say, or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes. This is a very powerful statement, not only because of its impact and the wisdom that is inside of this statement, but because it is biblical.

And today I would like to take a look at a few examples, biblical examples of attitude, of personal examples that people demonstrated in their lives. And I think we can learn some lessons from that. So let's begin by going to John 21 and verse 1. John 21, verse 1. I think the best way we can learn to be an example to others is to do what Paul said in Romans 8 and 29. He said that the reason we were called was to conform to the image of his son. And that's very powerful. To conform, make our lives, because Christ lives in us like the life that Jesus Christ lived, with the same attitude, the same examples, the same concepts, the same beliefs.

That's what we need to do. We need to look at the lifestyle example of Jesus Christ. And if we're humbled enough to look at his ministry closely, brethren, we'll discover some things about his examples that maybe we've overlooked. We know that Jesus was a deeply spiritual man. He was the son of God. He was called teacher, rabbi. We know those qualities about him. But I think sometimes what we fail to appreciate are the simple things that he did to serve. And he did those simple things that weren't spiritual, per se.

He did those simple things as an example for us to follow, for us to learn from, for us to realize, ah, that's the mindset I should have. That's what a servant really does. That's what being a servant is really like. Let's go now in John chapter 21 and verse 1. It says here, from John's Gospel, And he said to them, cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it up because of the multitude of fish.

In other words, the net was so heavy with fish, they weren't even able to pull that net up from the water. Verse 7, Therefore the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, this is John talking about himself, he said to Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had removed it and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in a little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits, dragging the net with fish.

Then as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it and bred. Let me ask you this question. When they came there, who was it that built the fire? Who was it that put the coals there? Who was it that had bread cooking on that fire, and had fish cooking on that fire? Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish you have just caught. Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to the land, full of large fish, 153. And although there were so many, the net was not broken. Now Jesus said to them, Come and eat breakfast.

Yet none of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you, knowing that it was the Lord? Jesus then came, and he took the bread, and he gave it to them, and likewise the fish. This is now the third time Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. This scripture shows the specialness about his character. Jesus Christ performed the menial task that most people tried to avoid. Most people are looking for glory, most people are looking for attention, but in contrast, Jesus made breakfast for other people.

He washed other people's feet, he helped children, he spent time with lepers, he came to serve, and nothing was beneath him. See, we again tend to think of Jesus as the spiritual teacher, which he was. He was the Son of God. He's the Christ. But nothing was beneath him, even the seemingly mundane things he did to serve and care for others.

He didn't do these things in spite of his greatness. He did these things because of his greatness. He was called to be a servant, and he worked very hard to set an example for you and I to follow. Our example is important, and not just regarding the church or spiritual things, it's important. Our example, how we act at work. For those of us that have our own businesses, how we act as bosses or presidents or CEOs in our own businesses.

Our example is important at home, how we treat our spouses, how we treat our children, our children's friends, our community, as well as how we serve in the church. You know, brother, nothing should be beneath us. I'm going to tell you something that you may find shocking. But I came from a family that was rather male-dominated, where the family that I grew up in, the males had certain tasks. This was what men do. And then the women had certain tasks. This is what women, this is women's work.

And there was a good period of my life, most of my working life, that I traveled extensively throughout the United States. My wife did not work. So I did certain things that were my responsibility, and she cooked, and she cleaned the clothes, washed the clothes, and she washed the dishes, and she did the things that are commonly thought of as women's work today.

Well, our roles reversed a few years ago. Now my wife works full-time. And what I do in the ministry and in my personal career is centered in my home. I have a home office, and I rarely leave Greater Cleveland, so our roles have reversed. Now I do the cooking. If she looks kind of sick today, it's probably because she may need to be anointed after services. But I do the cooking. I clean the dishes. I wash the clothes. I vacuum the carpets. Why? Because I saw a need, there's a need, and I filled the need. You see, she's working full-time.

It's hard for her to do those things if she's working full-time, and I'm coming down to my home office for lunch. I've got 10 minutes to throw clothes in the washer, don't I? At 3 o'clock, I take my little break and come down to fill up with some hot tea or whatever. I've got time to pull those clothes out and put them in the dryer. At 5 o'clock before she gets home, I've got time to fold those clothes up. You see, brethren, nothing should be beneath us. When we see a need, we should say, how can I fill that need? That's the kind of example that Jesus Christ wants us to have, and that we look around with the sensitivity is where is the need, and where is the need.

And how can I fill that need? Let's now go to John 2. Go back to John 2, verse 1, the very first miracle of Jesus Christ. John 2, verse 1, it says, on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. He liked weddings just like we like weddings. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, they have no more wine.

And Jesus said to her, Woman, what does your concern have to do with me? My hour has not yet come. He picks up His mother's hand, but He says, nah, I'm not sure I want to do this. Verse 5, His mother, being the Jewish mother, says to the servants, whatever He says to you, do it. He'll do it, because His mom asked Him. Verse 6, Now there were set six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews containing twenty or thirty gallons of peace.

Now either these people knew how to drink, or there was a very large crowd. Wow! Jesus said to them, Fill the waterpots with water, and they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast. Then He took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, He did not know where it came from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew.

And the master of the feast called the bridegroom, and said to Him, Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the feast have well drunk, then they bring out the Moghin David, or the inferior wine. You have kept a good wine until now. Verse 11, This is the beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. So, brethren, this is the first recorded miracle of Jesus Christ. You know something? There is nothing spiritual about turning water into wine. Nothing spiritual about it at all. He saw a need. His mother told Him about the need.

He personally had the ability to take care of the need, and He provided the need. You see, there is nothing deeply spiritual about turning water into wine. I think that is something that is a principle that we often fail to appreciate and understand. He doesn't give a sermon here at the wedding. It wouldn't have done any good. They are half-crocked anyway. They wouldn't have understood what He said. So, it doesn't say that He gave a sermon. It doesn't say that He gave His deep spiritual analogy about how water being turned into wine represents this or that.

No! He doesn't do any of that. It's physical. He is there as a guest. He sees the need. His mother points it out to Him, and He provides the need. His very first miracle. And that's the kind of approach and the kind of godly mindset, brethren, that He wants us to have in everyday life.

We don't have to look for spiritual things to be a good example and to be a light to the world. We only have to be sensitive enough to see a need, have the ability to do something about it, and it might be time, it might be a little bit of money that we can afford to do, it might be a talent that we have that's unusual, and then we just do it.

When we stop focusing on our own needs, we become more keenly aware of the needs of other people that are around us. I think that's a very important concept. What about something that you've never done before? Well, if you see a need and no one else appears to fill that need, you see a need, go for it!

Do it! Try it! It doesn't matter how old you are. Keep experimenting and growing. I noticed that Bob Boyner isn't here today, so I'll talk about him. No, I never repeat gossip, so listen to me closely the first time. What a remarkable example of Bob Boyner. Now, here, he has archery skills. He was at one time rated one of the best archers, professional archers in the state of Ohio. Very skilled man. We had a camp, and it needed someone to teach archery class. Now, Bob Boyner could have come up with a dozen reasons why he couldn't teach archery class, and legitimate reasons.

I have a painful back, and he does. He's got a chronic condition with his back. Where am I going to sleep? I need to sit down during the day. I can't stand up all day.

What kind of mattresses will they have at the camp? He could have come up with all kinds of reasons, some of them very legitimate, and why it wasn't meant for him. But he didn't look at it that way. He realized that it's time to stretch himself. There's a need. I have the ability to provide for that need, so why not me? Why not me fill that gap and serve in that way? You see, brethren, that's the spirit that Jesus Christ wants us as his people to catch.

He wants us to catch that spirit, to catch that level of enthusiasm, and to provide those kinds of needs. You'll never know how good you are at a new task until you give it a try. And you know what? If it doesn't work out, if you try something and you bomb, it's not a failure. It was just an experiment. And so you learn from it and you move on and you try something else. I know I can tell you a number of things that I've done in my life, a number of things in which I bombed dramatically.

A number of years ago, someone in what was a precursor to a youth program thought that I should do a class with little hand puppets. They're already laughing at me. That, Mr. Thomas, you have a voice. Did you notice that when you speak, little children look at you? Well, sure, they look at me. They say, who is this guy? But they said, we're going to put little hand puppets on you and you know, and you can have the hands talking to each other and you can be talking about God and so on.

And I tried that and I made a fool of myself. If those kids even believe in God today, it's a miracle.

And I can guarantee you, I never did that again. It was an experiment.

And I never tried that experiment again, but you'll never know how good you are at something new. Unless you try it. Unless you step out and say, you know, no one else is volunteering for this. Everyone else stepped backward. No one else is volunteering for this. I'll do it. Okay, I'll do it. That is the kind of enthusiasm, the kind of spirit, the kind of attitude that Jesus Christ demonstrated in his life that he wants us to have. Let's go to Matthew 8 and verse 14, because it wasn't just Jesus Christ. It was others who knew him. They caught his spirit. They caught that level of enthusiasm that he had. Matthew chapter 8 and verse 14. It says, now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, this will surprise people of some religious faiths, he saw his wife's mother laying sick with a fever. You mean Peter was married? He absolutely was. Sure he was married. Absolutely. And his mother-in-law was sick with a fever. Verse 15, so he, referring to Jesus Christ, touched her hand and the fever left her. I want you to notice how she catches his example, how quickly she catches on. It must have been a very savvy woman. And she arose and served them. You see, brother and Peter's mother-in-law understood a powerful spiritual principle. We are healed so that we can help others. We're healed so that we can help heal others. That's why we're healed. We're healed so that our prayers and our encouragement and our nurturing can help other people to heal. When we receive blessings, we are blessed to be a blessing for someone else. We are blessed so that we can be someone else's miracle. When someone else gets in their knees last night and said, dear God, please bring something or someone into my life to help me with my problems or help me with this issue, we have that opportunity to be someone else's miracle.

Very powerful, brethren, and you and I have been given that calling, and that's wonderful. Matthew 19 and verse 13. Matthew 19 and verse 13. Another example of Jesus and something his disciples say in their defense, this was before they were converted and received the power of God's Holy Spirit in the day of Pentecost. It says that little children were brought to him, that he might put his hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked these people who brought their little children to Jesus so that he would put their hands on them and pray and bless them.

But Jesus said, let the little children come to me and do not forbid them, for such is the kingdom of heaven. I want you to notice the attitude that Jesus has compared to his disciples. On one hand, they are negative, self-centered, and inclusive. This is just our little protected group. And we don't want anyone coming and bothering the big man over there. We don't want anyone eating up his time.

He's important. We don't want these little kids and these people bringing their little kids over here to do this. They were restrictive. They were controlling. Jesus, on the other hand, was positive. He was outgoing. The children represented the kind of person in his day who would respond to his very message. They were eager to learn, as little children are. They had a zeal about life. They weren't old enough yet. They carried baggage and resentments and bitterness and all the things that we struggled with as adults, because they're just little children.

They haven't been taught that by adults yet, so they don't know how to do it. And they were humble and they were uneducated. The vast majority of people that God called for generations and generations and generations could not read or write. God has called the illiterate for generations. It was only until the printing press and the printing of this book and Western civilization with republicanism and democracy that making an illiterate population even became important. And that's just a few hundred years old. Before that time, the majority of people who lived and died on the earth, including most that Jesus Christ called, could not read or write. Because it wasn't important to understand the gospel and to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and their Savior.

So, brethren, again, I want you to notice the attitude Jesus has here compared to his disciples. They are inclusive, selfish, negative, he's outgoing, he's positive. When people walk through the door there, brethren, they come at different levels. Some people have religious backgrounds and some people don't have any religious background. Some people walk through that door with very serious problems. Some people have fewer problems. But, you know, none of this really matters. What matters is if God is calling them and opening their minds. If they have an attitude that is humble and a deep desire to know God, they will be receptive to God's truth.

We just have to be careful to be the right example and to stay out of God's way. If he's trying to open their minds, if he's trying to call them, if he's trying to see if they will be receptive to the calling that he is giving them. Now, let's go to Luke 10 and verse 38. Again, Luke 10 and verse 38. We'll look at another example of Jesus Christ and see his positive approach and example.

The Scripture we're very familiar with. We've read for many years. Luke 10 and verse 38. It says, Now it happened as they went and he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached him and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Of course, he's the Son of God. He can read.

He has an ability that you and I and bloggers do not have in spite of their protestations. We cannot read human minds. We cannot judge people's motives. Only Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had the ability to read people's motives and to judge their hearts and their minds.

And he does that, and he says to her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. And Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. Again, I want you to notice the contrast between the attitude of Martha and Mary, and Jesus.

Martha is serving, and that's a wonderful thing. That's great that she was serving. That part is a good example. But she and she alone welcomed Jesus into her house. If you read the Scripture closely, it says, Martha welcomed him into her house. So she and she alone welcomed him into her house, and then she criticized Mary for not doing exactly what she thought was important. And she's working. She's not paying attention. She's not listening.

While the very Son of God himself is present in her home teaching, it says that Mary sat at his feet and heard his word. He's teaching. He's opening up the minds for people to understand who and what he's about in the kingdom of God. And Martha is so consumed with serving the food and making sure everybody's comfortable. In all of this, she loses sight of the importance of why Jesus is there. She expects her sister to be just like her. Well, brethren, God never intended her sister to be just like her.

We are all unique. God is not creating yellow pencils. God gave us all different DNA's. We heard about DNA in the sermonette. And that means that we have different personalities and skill sets.

We all come from different backgrounds. That makes us different. And that difference is good. What we need to have in common are appreciating the law of God, the Ten Commandments, and all the things that draw us to God, the appreciation of the Sabbath and Holy Days and moral values and all those things that are the trunk of the tree that hold us together. But beyond that, you have unique skills and abilities that I'll never have. Good! I don't need to be just like you.

You don't need to be just like me. The goal that we should look for is to conform to the image of His Son. That's the image that we should all want to be like. You see, Mary was working when the Son of God Himself was speaking and was present in her home. And Jesus told Martha that Mary is listening. That's the difference, He says, between you and your sister.

Mary is listening. She's growing. She's changing. While all you're doing is running around in your mind thinking about all your anxieties and your personal problems, and all you're doing is rewinding the tape over and over and over again and not getting anywhere. Because you have to set that stuff out. You have to purge that out. We cannot change the past. What we do today can change our future, but we cannot change anything that we've done in the past.

We can learn from it. We can get off the floor. We can clean ourselves up and say, now it's time to move forward. And that's what Martha needed to do at this point in her life. Brother, when people walk through the door, they want to take in, and they usually take in the total environment.

Are the people...whoops...does the microphone work? They take in the total environment. Are people kind? Are they warm? Do they have a smile on their face? Is the message fulfilling? Do people seem genuinely happy as they look around and they see people in the room? Do they look like they're happy? Do they have something that I want? Do they have that something special? We call it the power of God's Holy Spirit. Do they possess that something special? That is something I need in my life. Those are the kind of things that people are taking in, in the total environment when they come into the church. They come to visit us for many reasons.

Some will come because they are worried and have many troubles, like Martha. Some people will come because they want to listen simply to a formal message and see if it's something that interests them. We have to allow people to come here for their own reasons and give them the space and the ability to do that. The goal is to be warm, friendly, and generous, and as I said before, and not get in God's way. Let's now go to Matthew 14, beginning in verse 1. Matthew 14, beginning in verse 1.

It says, At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, This is John the Pamptist, who has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him. For Herod had laid hold on John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. Because John had said to him, It is not lawful for you to have her, He told John, told Herod that he was committing adultery. Herod didn't like that for some reason. Verse 5, And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet, Speaking of John the Bamptist, of course.

Verse 6, But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Now, I don't know exactly what kind of dance this is, but it probably wasn't a minuet. Verse 7, Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask, So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, Give me that John the Bamptist head here on a platter.

And the king was sorry, nevertheless, because of the oaths, and because of those who sat with him. In other words, he said this publicly, he would look like a liar, he would look like a coward if he backed down at this point. He told the girl, he said, Whatever you want, I'll give you. If you dance for me, she danced for him, and she said, I want John the Bamptist head. Verse 10, So he sent, and had John beheaded in prison, and his head was brought on a platter, and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

Then his disciples came, and took away the body, and buried it, and went, and told Jesus. I read that because when we get to the part that we're usually very familiar with, we often don't realize what had just occurred. Now let's go to verse 13. When Jesus heard it, what did he hear?

Let's put ourselves in the place of Jesus Christ for these events, for this miracle that's going to happen. What did he hear? He heard that a distant relative had just been killed, about his age. 31, 32-ish, John the Baptist. That's what he had been told. He was grieving. He was disturbed. Someone that he knew and loved had been killed. It says, when Jesus heard it, he departed from there by boat to a deserted place by himself.

He just wanted to be left alone for a while. He's contemplating. He's thinking about John. I grew up with John. I knew John, a fine man. Here he is in the prime of his life. He's dead. What else might Jesus have been thinking of? Well, I understand prophecy. I'm going to die soon. Within a few years, I'm following the example of John.

That had to weigh heavily on Jesus Christ, knowing what he himself would have to do when allowed to become the sacrifice and to become the ultimate atonement for all of mankind. So again, let's pick it up. He departed from there by boat to a departed place by himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities. He was a powerful speaker. He was someone whose message resonated with lots of people. So many are following him from the cities going into this deserted place because they found out that Jesus Christ was there. Verse 14, And when Jesus went out and he saw the great multitude, he was moved with compassion for them, and he healed their sick. Do you realize, do you understand and appreciate what a great example he's setting here? He wanted to be left alone. He is grieving, and he purposely went to a deserted place by himself so that he could sort things out and be left alone. And what happens? All of these crowds show up. He doesn't get angry. He doesn't get... But you've ruined my schedule for the day. He doesn't have that kind of a perspective. It says that when he saw the multitude, he had compassion on all of these confused, aimless people with no purpose in life. All of these people struggling just to find enough food for their families for today. They need help. They need love. They need someone to guide them. It says he was moved with compassion for them, and he healed their sick. Verse 15, when it was evening, his disciples came to him saying, This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away so that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food. So again, the disciples, they don't quite get it. These people are a nuisance. What are these people doing hanging around here? Can't you see that the man wants a little peace for himself? Go away! All of you, go away! Find food in the city. But Jesus said to them, they do not need to go away. You can give them something to eat. Now, Jesus isn't trying to be sarcastic here. The truth is, is if they would have had the faith, and had followed the example that they'd seen him do earlier, they literally could have done what he was about to do. All they needed was instead of an attitude of selfishness, inclusiveness, it's all about me and mine, if they would have had an attitude of compassion and giving and caring for other people. You give them something to eat. And they said, we have here only five loaves and two fish. And he said, bring them to me. Then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass, and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke, and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave it to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men besides women and children. Again, notice the contrast between Jesus Christ and his disciples. The disciples say that people are an inconvenience, tell them to go away. They are not welcome here. Jesus views people as an opportunity, not as an inconvenience, not as a nuisance. Even though he's grieving over the death of a friend, and he's being reminded of his own prophetic obligation, the physical needs of others are important. He stops what he's doing, and he prides he sees a need. He knows that he can provide for that need, he does it, and he fills the role of that need. Brethren, we need to follow the example of Jesus Christ.

Imperfect, confused people with problems are not an inconvenience. They are the reason that Jesus Christ started his church. I received an email back a few months ago from an individual who gave me some criticism and said, quote, United is just trying to attract new people. Well, duh! I certainly hope so. I mean, I was just stunned. I kept that email. I was so stunned. I'm the result of the church at one time wanting to call new people. You were the result of the church at one time wanting to call new people. I thought that was, you know, we have two things in our church seal. Preach the gospel, prepare people. Well, one half of that preaching the gospel means giving people the good news of the coming kingdom of God and inviting them to be disciples of Jesus Christ and join us and to be prepared to serve in that kingdom. Brethren, that is what the church is supposed to do. Jesus referred to his disciples. He referred to his church as the little flock. Some people, now I realize that the word little, you can have a different perspective on it. Some people think that what Jesus meant by that was a microscopic flock. The minuscule flock. I don't believe that. I myself was once part of a huge wave of new people that God called in the late sixties and early seventies that are the kind of the older edge of the generation of God's people. It was a huge wave into the tens of thousands over a short period of time. Now, who is it to say or dare tell God that that can't happen again? That that isn't intended to happen again. Who are we to sell our great God short and say he can't or he won't call people into the faith of Jesus Christ? Brethren, we are here to be a light and an example. We are here to realize that half of our mission, aside from preparing a people, and we try to do that in Sabbath services, we try to do that with all of our print material, we try to do that in the holy days, we work very hard to prepare a people. The other half of that mission and calling we have is to preach the gospel. And we can't have an attitude. Well, my role is just to tell you this and then back off and make it real hard to find me. You know, there are some churches where if you call and you say there are some savagery churches, if you call and say, I'm kind of interested in finding out more about you. Well, we'll go through the seven step counseling program and we'll see if you're good enough to come to church. Brother, that's not godly. That's not what God intended. God intended for us to be a light. You cannot have a light hidden under a bushel basket. A light glows. And I might also add that a light does not make noise. You know, I'm an old electrician and the only lights I ever worked on that made noise, the fluorescent lights, those are lights that are about to die.

Lights shine. They illuminate things for other people around them, but they don't make an obnoxious sound. They're inviting. They're warm. And, brother, that's what we should be. Now, let me ask this question. In time, did the disciples catch that enthusiasm? Did they finally sink in and say, that's what Jesus Christ meant? Now I get it. Okay. Do we have evidence that that happened? Well, we certainly do. Let's go to Acts 4 and verse 1. Acts 4 and verse 1. And this is a long scripture, far longer than I normally read, but I think it's important for us to understand that it worked. What Jesus tried to instill into his people, into his early disciples, finally worked, particularly after the day of Pentecost when they all received the Holy Spirit. We're going to pick it up here in Acts 4 and verse 1. Someone has been healed in the temple, and that is going to cause a problem because, of course, the religious leaders at that time are jealous and envious that the disciples were actually able to heal a lame man. Chapter 4, I'm sorry, verse 1.

It forced them to be landing in jail. They spent the night in jail. Verse 4, however, many of those who heard the word believed in the number of men came to be about 5,000, and it came to pass on the next day that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many of them were of the family of the high priests, were gathered together in Jerusalem.

And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, by what power or by what name have you done this? And then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to him, and this is pretty bold for a guy. Remember, this isn't too far after that the cowardly man denied Christ before the cockrode. Remember, let's see what a transformation has taken place here between the coward Peter and now the man who's filled with the Holy Spirit.

Rollers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day are judged for a good deed to a helpless man, talking about the healing, by what means has, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to all of you and the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead by him, this man stands here before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.

Nor is there any salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given by which men must be saved. Now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, remember my comment about the little children? Thus is the kingdom of God. These were blue-collar fishermen. They were uneducated. They were untrained. It was the power of the Holy Spirit that had transformed them from being fishermen into now being preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It says, and they marveled and they realized that they had been with Jesus. These are his disciples. Verse 14, and seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, I guess we could call that executive session, they conferred among themselves. Verse 16, saying, What shall we do with these men? For indeed, that a noticeable miracle has been done through them is evidence all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak no to no man in this name, and they called them and commanded them not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus. Verse 19, But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen. Now verse 21, And when they have further threatened them, what does that mean? They said, Look, you better not do this again.

We have a lot of authority in this community. We will beat you black and blue. You better not show up in the temple again. You better not be talking about Jesus Christ, or you are going to suffer. You are going to pay big time. So it says again, When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old, in whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported that the chief priest and the elders, what they had said to them. What did they report to them? Well, they must have said, Boy, did we really upset the chief priest and the elders. They told us, they threatened us, if we go into the temple again, if we say his name, if we do those things, we are going to be beaten to an inch of our life.

We are going to be black and blue. So let's see what happens next. Acts chapter 5, drop down to chapter 5 and verse 14. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord. What does that mean? It means new people are being called all the time. Yes, the church of God is trying to bring in new people. Multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the cities, surrounding cities, to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Then the high priest rose up, and all who were with him, which is the sect of the Sadducees, and they were filled with indignation. Erang, didn't we tell them not to go to the temple and stir up trouble? Didn't we... did I not make this clear to them?

What part of no don't these guys seem to understand? Verse 18, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. So once again, they're in the pokey, spending time in the pokey overnight. Verse 19, but an angel... but at night... I just love the way God likes to rub salt into the wound of the priest... But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.

And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison they have them brought. They thought they were still in prison. Verse 22, but when the officers came and did not find them in prison, they returned and reported, saying, Indeed, we found the prison shut securely and the guards standing outside before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.

That means that God allowed them to become literally transparent and to walk through the walls, unnoticed, by the guards who were dutifully standing there protecting the door. Verse 24, Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. Verse 25, So one came and told them, Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people lest they should be stoned.

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the high priest asked them, verse 28, Did we not strictly command you not to teach in his name and look you afield Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood on us? But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to the right hand to be prince and savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

And we are his witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. Verse 33, Now when they heard this, they were furious, absolutely furious. Multiple times, their command of their threatening had been ignored by the disciples. It says, And they plotted to kill them. Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. And he said to them, Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves and what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago, Athudas rose up, claiming to be somebody.

A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. Verse 38, And now I say to you, keep away from these men, and let them alone. If this plan, or this work is of men, it will come to nothing. But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest you be found to fight against God.

And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them. You see, they said, they did what they said they would do. They said, if you go out and do this, we're going to beat you, it's not going to be pretty. And they beat them, and I'm sure it wasn't pretty. They commanded, commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council. Let's stop right there. How would most people react?

Have you ever had a beating to the inch of your life? Have you ever maybe had an accident where something comes through? Pow! Right in the kisser. It knocks you over. Have you ever had that happen? I've been in fist fights when I was a teenager. I've had my clock knocked out a few times. I understand what it's like to be blasted, a good one. We've probably all had accidents, you know, done things where something hurt, and it hurt real bad. How is the normal human reaction to that? It says here in verse 41, so they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

What kind of crazy people are this? They are beaten, and they come out with a big smile on their face. They're rejoicing. They're happy. Because in the name of Christ, I was able to be part of the message of the kingdom of God. Brethren, nothing could stop them, and nothing should stop us. The Church of God of the 21st century, for doing our part, no matter what it is, to do our part is God calls us and gives us the individual skills and talents to be part of his team.

We should allow no one, nothing, to stop us from preaching the good news of the coming kingdom of God, because that is our calling. And let's notice how obedient they were. Verse 42, And daily in the temple, did the beatings stop them? Nah. And daily in the temple. And in every house that they did, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Brethren, in closing in the sermon today, I would like to encourage you to be fired up about the kingdom of God. Whatever gift or skill that you can offer to the Church, it will be appreciated. It will be respected as long as it furthers the balance of being a good example, of being a light to the world, of being someone who is concerned and loves individual people, no matter what their background, no matter where they come from when they walk through that door.

We are here to be servants. We are here to love and care. We are here to teach the doctrines of Jesus Christ and to follow His example, to be conformed to the image of His Son, as Paul said in Romans 8, 29. So let us be about doing that. Let us get excited about doing our part, to bring more people into the faith, to bring more disciples into the Church of God. I don't believe that when Jesus referred to us as a little flock, that He meant a microscopic flock. How many billions of people live on the earth today? It's amazing. It's incredible.

You know, it is said that in China, that there are one million Sabbath keepers in China. And it's very difficult for them because it's a communist country. It is not healthy, much like it wasn't healthy for what the disciples were doing here, that we just read. It's not healthy for them to actively promote the keeping of the Sabbath. But brethren, I have to believe that out of that one million, the same people who read about the Sabbath day have also discovered the Holy Days and a lot of other things that we believe and know to be true.

Let's allow God to work through anyone He wants, and let's get out of His way. Let's not put a litmus test for people to come to the Church of God. The only litmus test we should have is that they are humble and that they are eager to learn and they know they need to change and grow. That's the only test that anyone should have to be part of the Church of God.

And then let's allow God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to change that person and perform another miracle, like the miracle He performed on you and the miracle He performed on me. That is what we have the opportunity to be part of. Let's celebrate that. Let's get excited and enthusiastic about that. Let's be like those little children, for of such is the Kingdom of God.