February 25, 2007

Cawson St. Church of Christ

Hopewell, Virginia

Mural Worthey

 

The Solution

 

Purpose: This lesson proposes the solution to conflicts within the church, and in fact, in all human relationships. Putting the best interest of the Church and others before ourselves is the solution presented in the Bible.  Problems arise when we seek our interests first.

 

Introduction:  Nations make no bones about it; they declare that they will uphold the interests of their nation first.  Why? Because the citizens want the political leaders to act that way; that is the way that most individuals behave.  They will vote for politicians who act in the best interests of the nation against all other nations.  They reason that this is necessary for self-preservation.  But it is not so.  National self-interest, or nationalism, is the reason for most conflicts and wars.  It is the reason that great nations have fallen.

 

What if a company decided that they would operate on the principle of self-interests alone?  They would not be concerned about other companies or even their customers.  It would, of course, be in the company’s best interest to make as much profit as possible.  The customers could complain all they want; they would not change the policy.  Soon, that company would not have many customers.  Everyone would agree that the company must make a profit to survive, but, in order to survive every company must seek the good and best interests of their customers.

 

Individuals often repeat the age-old mistake of promoting self-interests.  It is a deadly mistake and works the opposite result than the one desired.  One of the greatest Christian principles that we could ever learn is seeking the good of others, the Church, and God first.  Some think and say openly that they do not believe that Christian principles, like this one, will work in society, in business, or in government.  In their fear to follow this truth, they destine themselves to failure.

 

I want now to show that this is the solution presented in the Bible for our problems.

 

Passages.  “Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord.  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might.  And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children.”  (Deut. 6:4-7.)

 

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was in the Law, he repeated these words and added, “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.  On these two hang all the law and the prophets.”  (Matt. 22:36-40.)  Jesus taught that we should put God first and love our neighbor as ourselves.  Yes, God is worthy of our praise and obedience, but he does not command it for his benefit and self-glorification.  He commands us to obey Him for our good.  His commandments are for our good always, that he might preserve us alive.  (Deut. 6:24.)  The New Testament teaches that the Sabbath (and thus all the commands of God) were given for man, but man was not created for the Sabbath.  (Mark 2:27.)  We have often got this backward; we have man obeying God for God’s good and for our self-righteousness.

 

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he taught: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”  (Rom. 12:3.)  Paul then used a favorite analogy of his, the human body.  We are many members, yet one body.  He presented this same lesson to the troubled Corinthian Church. (1 Cor. 12) Think for a moment about the value of this illustration.

 

What if the individual members of our bodies began to act out in self-interests?  What if the hand decided that it did not care what happened to the rest of the body and took an axe to the feet and chopped it off?  What if the hands pierced the eyes and blinded the body?  What happens when dependent members act in self-interests?  The result is self-destruction; it is not self-preservation!!  So it is with families, churches, companies and governments; they destroy themselves whenever they embark on the wrong-headed notion of self-interests.

 

Paul concluded, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another.”  (Romans 12:10.)

 

In one of the most powerful examples in the Bible, we find this principle and truth taught again.  “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory.  .  . “  Stop for a moment.  What is the problem?  Strife and vain-conceit.  Some are promoting themselves and tearing others down.  What is the solution?    “. . . in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves.”  The NIV adds: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  (verse 4.)  This is The Solution to the problem of strife.

 

The example Paul used this time was not the human body, but Jesus Christ and how he lived.  We cannot find a better example of this.  If we say that this solution will not work, then we are saying that what Jesus did was not wise.  “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”  (Phil. 2:5.)  Follow his example.  Jesus was equal with God in heaven, but he humbled himself.  He became a man, a servant of men, he died for man, and he died on a cross.  Did you notice the regression of these steps?  He chose to go lower and lower and lower for our benefit.  The question is: Did Jesus act of self-interests?  The answer is obvious.  The lesson is that we should look out for the best interests of others and not just ourselves.  The message of Philippians 2 is at the heart of the Gospel.

 

When Jesus was going to the cross, notice the self-interests of the sick and weak human beings all around him.  Herod, who killed the children in Bethlehem, and Pilate, who ordered the crucifixion, were acting out of self-interests.  They were afraid that Jesus was aspiring to be the Ruler of the Roman Empire.  Pilate asked him, Are you a king then?  Judas wanted a few more coins.  Peter feared for his life.  Why did they kill the Lord of glory?  They killed Him because they thought it was in their best interests!  All the while, Jesus was humbling himself and dying for our benefit.  And we go our way seeking the crumbs and coins and fleeting self-glory.

 

Jesus taught, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”  (Matt. 6:33.)  God does not want us to put His Kingdom first because he is self-centered and needs anything from us.  The context shows that man is too anxious about life, food and clothing.  Jesus promised that if we seek God’s Kingdom first, all these things will be added to us.  It is in our best interests to seek first his kingdom.  It is in our best interests to think of the good of other members of the body.  That  is not our motive or reason for doing it, but the result is the good of all.  When Jesus put our interests first, he suffered severely for it.  But he did it out of love for mankind.  Even if we do not return that love, he still put our interests first.  This is the solution to the problems of life!

 

Other Examples.  Let us see by glancing around in the Bible if we can see this principle being used and being rejected.  What is the result?

 

Two harlots and one child.  (1 Kings 3.)  Once Solomon had to determine to which harlot a child belonged.  Both gave birth, but one child died because the mother laid on it accidentally.  She then switched the children and claimed the live one for her own. The purpose of this story was to demonstrate the wisdom of Solomon, which was given to him from God.  But it also reveals the motives and attitudes of people.  Solomon’s wisdom (God’s) is based upon the truth that mothers act out of the best interest of their children.  When he commanded that a sword be brought forth and the child severed, then the wrangling ceased and the real mother was identified.  The bereaved mother was acting out of self-interest, but the real mother acted out of the best interest of the child.  She told Solomon to give the child to the other woman, but in no wise slay it.  (1 Kings 3:26.)

 

Esther.  During the reign of the Persians, the Jews were in jeopardy of being killed by the plot of a wicked Persian official named Haman.  Mordecai, Queen Esther’s uncle, refused to honor him by bowing before him because he was wicked.  This refusal by Mordecai angered Haman against all the Jews.  He sent out letters approved by the King to annihilate all the Jews—young and old, men and women—in one day.  Mordecai revealed these plans to his niece Queen Esther, telling her that she would be included in the order.  Esther promised her uncle that she would go to the King even though it was against the law.  She added, “If I perish, I perish.”  (4:14.)

 

This attitude of doing what was best for all the Jews, even if it meant she would lose the favor of the King, stands in bold contrast to the self-serving interests of Haman.  In the end, the Jews lived and Haman died.  When a person acts only out of self-interests, he destroys himself.  The one who is blessed is the one who seeks the well-being of others as well.

 

The apostle Paul.  Few people have sacrificed more for others than Paul did.  He wrote to the Corinthians: “I will not be burdensome to you; for I seek not yours, but you.  The children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.  And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”  (2 Cor. 12:14-15.)  Paul always behaved in such a way that benefited the Corinthians; he did not desire what they possessed; he wanted only what was for their good.

 

Conclusion

 

Churches prosper when they follow this principle of conduct among themselves.  Self-centeredness is the primary reason for strife and divisions in churches.  It is the reason for failures in marriages.  Sin is ultimately selfish in nature.  When you put others first, you establish and maintain good relationships.  Paul wrote, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” 

 

Strife and selfish interests keep the church from growing and reaching the lost.  God will not hold us guiltless when we so behave.

 

“Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”  (1 Cor. 3:16-17.)  The temple referred to here is the Church. The good of the Church and the good of others should be placed before our agendas and selfish interests.