(Christian Living Sermon) Hillside 6/97
Filename: As Unto The Lord

"...AS UNTO THE LORD"

INTRODUCTION-- Luke 2:52 "And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

1. Jesus accomplished something that all of us should strive for.
   
   1. It is difficult for mortal men to strike the right emphasis in their relationships with God and men.
      
   2. God always desires the first place in our affections, but he also bases His favor on our relationship with men. 1 John 4:20 "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen."
      
2. Jesus' method for gaining favor with both God and men should be our model for finding the proper proportion of respect.
   

LESSON--

1. In our respect to high and low authorities, Jesus taught proportionate duty. Matthew 22:15-21 "Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might ensnare him in his talk....saying, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why make ye trial of me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a denarius. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."
   
   1. The Pharisees did not comprehend their dual responsibility.
      
   2. In a former age, they did not understand the pattern of relative respect. Malachi 1:6-8 "A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is mine honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? saith Jehovah of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar. And ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Jehovah is contemptible. And when ye offer the blind for sacrifice, it is no evil! and when ye offer the lame and sick, it is no evil! Present it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee? or will he accept thy person? saith Jehovah of hosts."
      
2. Sometimes, men confuse the standard of respect.
   
   1. We cannot offer "worship" to God's messenger that rightfully belongs to God Himself. Acts 10:25-26 "And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man."
      
      1. Only God is to be treated as "reverend" ("Venerable, worthy of worship"). Psalm 111:1, 9 "Praise ye Jehovah. I will give thanks unto Jehovah with my whole heart, In the council of the upright, and in the congregation.....He hath sent redemption unto his people; He hath commanded his covenant for ever: Holy and reverend is his name."
         
      2. Even angels must refuse to be worshipped. Revelation 22:8-9 "And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that showed me these things. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren the prophets, and with them that keep the words of this book: worship God."
         
   2. We cannot offer honors to men (even prophets) which God has reserved for Christ. Mark 9:2-8 "After six days, Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them; and his garments became glistering, exceeding white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them. And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answereth and saith to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. For he knew not what to answer; for they became sore afraid. And there came a cloud overshadowing them: and there came a voice out of the cloud, This is my beloved Son: hear ye him. And suddenly looking round about, they saw no one any more, save Jesus only with themselves."
      
   3. We cannot befriend the world, and expect to remain a friend to God.
      
      1. James 4:1-4 "Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures. Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God."
         
      2. 1 John 2:15-17 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."
         
   4. We cannot seek prestige among our fellow men by forgetting about our standing with God. Acts 4:36-5:4 "And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of exhortation), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race, having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied unto men, but unto God."
      
3. There are some duties which call for this formula of success---"Do unto men as you do unto the Lord."
   
   1. Wives are to use this formula toward their husbands. Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."
      
   2. Servants follow the formula in relationship to their masters.
      
      1. Colossians 3:22-23 "Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord: whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men;"
         
      2. Ephesians 6:5-7 "Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not in the way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as unto the Lord, and not unto men:"
         
   3. These passages show, indirectly, the higher level of service owed to God.
      
   4. In our observations of the activities of Christians, can we observe that they use their service to God as the standard for their service to others?
      

APPLICATION--I have the suspicion that, as God observes our conduct on earth, he might desire to say to us, "Do unto me, as you do unto men!"

1. Man, in his self interest, will sometimes work harder to keep his job than he does to go to heaven.
   
2. Some men are more ready to follow other men than to follow God.
   
3. What about the applications of some of the Scripture in this lesson?
   
   1. Wives, husbands, if you gave to your spouses the level of service that you give to God, would that service increase or decrease, be more obedient or less obedient, be more efficient, or less?
      
   2. Employees....If we worked for our company like we work for God, would our work be greater or smaller, better or worse, more willing, or less?
      
      1. If other workers neglected their duty, would you? (If other Christians forsake their duties, would you?)
         
      2. If the boss asked you to work Wednesday evening, would you do it? (Even if tired and slightly ill?)
         
      3. If you were unable to work, would you be considerate enough to your boss to let him know, so that he might be able to get a replacement? (What if you were unable to teach your class in church?)
         
4. Do we live by a single standard, as God wills, or a double standard?