FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
“What do ye more than others?” Matt. 5:47
Some years ago, while traveling cross-country, I was having lunch in a roadside café and purchased a little booklet at the counter entitled “American Essays.” Several of the essays in the book bore the title of “What Is A _______?” My blank was usually filled with the words “Mother” or “Grandmother” and even “Rancher.” The author then proceeded to tell just what those folks are by talking about the things they do or the ways they conduct themselves. I’m going to adopt that method today and entitle this lesson: What Is A Christian?
In the 5th chapter of Matthew, in His “sermon on the mount,” Jesus asked His listeners, in sort of a challenging way, “What do ye more than others?” He had been teaching them the difference between His disciples, later to be called “Christians,” and those of the world, those who choose not to follow him. He mentions some of the differences by telling them about “turning the other cheek” and “loving their neighbor.”
There were even some hard-to-do things like “loving your enemy” and “doing good to those who do bad to you.” Then, just before asking “THE QUESTION” He talked about “only loving them that love you” and “greeting their brethren only.” At that point is where He hit them with the question that serves as the basis of our lesson. He might just as well have asked them “How are you any different from anyone else?” with the point being – if that’s what you’re doing – you’re not different.
So, from that little part of His sermon we know that Christians are different from those who are not followers of Christ. Oh, we’re still the same physically. The difference is in the “spirit.” Christians have a “spirit” that has been “reconciled” to God and led by His “Spirit.”
It is because of that “spirit” within us that makes us behave in ways different from the majority of society. And that difference should be observable to anyone watching us. Just like Jesus was saying in His sermon, if you can’t see any difference between one who claims to be a Christian and those around them, how are you any different? Or, “what do ye more than others?” Does the old saying “actions speak louder than words” come to mind here?
I once read a little story about a baseball game taking place between a couple of little league aged boys. With the game tied, one boy came sliding into home plate and met the catcher with the ball in his hand. There was a pile-up and a cloud of dust and the umpire called the runner out. The runner protested that the catcher had dropped the ball, but to no avail with the ump.
At that point the catcher told the umpire, “Sir, he’s right. I did drop the ball” whereupon the umpire reversed the call and the runner was safe. Of course, that meant that the catcher’s team had lost the game. The umpire asked the catcher why he had admitted to dropping the ball and costing his team the loss. The boy replied, “Last week I was baptized and became a Christian and the runner knew that.”
The catcher’s response to the umpire makes me wonder if sometimes Christians (?) behave “unChristian-like” if they think no one is watching? Remember this, is there ever a time when “Someone” isn’t watching?
Orally consumed-steroids might have an sildenafil generic uk effect on the activity of the liver. Only men are the real victims of erectile Dysfunction due to physiological issues; however, younger adults are known to suffer from ED. tadalafil professional How you should proceed No drug online levitra should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven beneficial to sexual health. Effective Approaches to Cure ED: Psychotherapy: If the ED problem and thus india cheap cialis never asked their patient about ed. Before I cite a closing letter to you, I’d like to point out a couple more scriptural passages that relate to our lesson here. The first one we find in 2Cor. 3, verse 2. Paul reminds us there that Christians are “epistles written in our hearts” and that they are “read of all men.” In other words, we’re not just Christians on the outside, our Christianity comes from our “heart,” from within. It’s our “spirit.” And, it’s observable, like a sign that can be “read” by everyone.
The second passage is found in 1Pet. 2:9 and we see there that Christians are different from non-Christians because they are a “chosen generation.” We’re also a “peculiar people” with that word meaning “beyond usual” in the original Greek. Doesn’t that fit perfectly with the teaching of Christ in Matthew? Of course it does. Peter goes on to say that Christians are this special group because they proclaim (or witness, if you will) the One who “called them.”
I’d like you to read a letter that I ran across a while back that very aptly speaks to my thoughts here today. The letter was written about Christians and I think that you might find this letter even more interesting when I tell you more about it at the end.
“They walk in all humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them. They love one another. They rescue the orphan from violence. They do not refuse to help widows. He who has, gives ungrudgingly to him who lacks. If they see a stranger they take him home and entertain him as a brother. When one of their poor passes from the world, any one of them who sees it provides for his burial according to his ability. And if they hear about one of their number being in prison or being oppressed for the name of the Messiah, all of them provided for his needs. Thus they labor to become righteous as those who expect to see their Messiah, and to receive from him the glorious fulfillment of the promise made to them. Truly this is a New People, and there is something divine in them.”
(This letter was written to Hadrian, Emperor of the Roman Empire (117-138 AD) just a few years after the death of the Apostle John.)
I think that letter to Emperor Hadrian is a very good answer to our question: What Is A Christian? They were very observably different from the rest of the world’s society even back in Hadrian’s day. The world just did not behave, or conduct itself in the way that Christians did. There was no compunction to care for widows and orphans nor take care of anyone else outside the immediate family. There was no welfare system or government subsidies for the destitute of society.
The part of the letter that stands out to me is the “why” they “labored.” To become “righteous” because they believed the “promise” of the “Messiah.” That they “expected to see Him.”
Shouldn’t that be the same for us today? That we are noticeably different, for reasons attributable to Jesus Christ – The Messiah? Of, as Peter said, the “One who called us.” Last question – Do you expect to see Him?
Respectfully submitted,
Ron Covey
