Almost Honest Christians - Week 3 - St. Peter - Pastor Tim Glende
Almost Honest Christians
Week 3 - St Peter
Pastor Tim Glende
Welcome to week three of our most honest Christians. Pray that you've been blessed as we've talked about confessing and confronting. And today, we're going to talk about admitting Which makes me think about something. I've heard many times in my 21 years of schooling. Makes me think about something that I probably have said and my years of ministry and being a part of a team. Maybe you've heard it before. It worked too. Maybe something you heard from Mom or Dad Grandpa or Grandma relative, a family friend?
And here's what it is. There's no such thing as a dumb question. A good teacher say that to you before, they had a parent, say it to you before. We had a colleague, say it to you before someone that you were working with or training under, like, there's no such thing as a bad question, a dumb question, if you don't know something, it's an opportunity to ask and gain knowledge And yet, here's me, being honest. 21 years of schooling, eight years of Pastor schooling like digging into Greek and Hebrew. There were many times, multiple times, when I was almost honest.
Like when I didn't get something, but I didn't ask. We could run in times at work as a tester for all these 25 years now. And there are things that are going on part of our operations here even at 922 are I think I know a lot and then have a pulse on a lot of things that are going on, but if I have to actually ask somebody else who's doing that, it might show them that I'm not. So knowledgeable or maybe good at my job. I don't ask.
Good. I want you to think about that today. Okay, thinking life there are times whether it's work-related school-related life-related when we were fearful of raising her hand and admitting the truth. That we don't know something. We not our had we kind of follow along, we fake it because we don't want to give the impression that we don't get it. Perhaps, there's no place more important than in our relationship with God, our spiritual life where these two Crossroads collide. The importance of gaining knowledge and the willingness or lack thereof of a meeting when you don't have it.
Like a lot of us will ask “it works, right”? Like if we don't get something and we don't know something. Like we’ll ask because we want to get it right because we don't want to get fired. Like you might look dumb. You might feel like you're embarrassed but you don't get fired. So you ask. Like you think about how important that is at times when we asked, even when we're willing to say, I might look foolish. As a Mark Twain quote about questions. I think it's an ancient Chinese proverb as well. Like, you might look like a fool for five minutes but if you ask, you won't be foolish going forward. And yet in our spiritual life, sadly, all too often we don't. Which is why I'm going to lay out for you a compelling case to solve this problem. If you are taking notes today, here's what I want you to think about our potential problem. This topic is so important. Our potential problem is this when it comes to the Bible, I guess one really deals with the Bible, our relationship with and when it comes to the Bible, some know much. Me?. No. Some
Of you and others know none. But you can probably want yourself into one of those three categories like enlist. This is the first time you've ever set foot in a church. If this is the first time you've ever heard someone speak about and open up the Bible as we're going to do in a second, the other pretty good thing for some of you, this is really new to you. You don't know much at all. You might be close to the bottom carry category, but for a lot of you the Christian lifers who are here today, the ones who've done it, repeatedly on a weekly basis. You grew up in it, you went to elementary school, Somebody went to Fox Valley Lutheran. Yeah, you might be in that middle category, maybe in the higher category, some do much most know, some others. No, none. Here's two questions. I want you to think about just a which category best describes you like are you 1, 2 or 3?
And then they want you to think about it, no matter which category you're in, what do you do when you don't know?
Like are you a person who digs in and searches. Do you ask questions? Maybe not ask the question because you don't want to be embarrassed, look foolish. Like, what do you do, no matter which category you're in. Because here's the thing, none of us know it all.
Like, I would like to think that is a pastor. I'm in category number one. All of you should be saying, I hope you're in category number one. Like we listen to you talk for 30 minutes and we trust you with our kids and the education that you're giving them in confirmation and instruction class like some not much. I like to think I know a whole lot about the Bible, a whole lot about Jesus. I understand a whole lot of it yet even within that some of our pastors know things that I don't know, are better in certain areas than I am. Like, I'm just going to be honest. Like, if you want to question, answer in the Book of Revelation, I'm not your guy. I know it, I've read through it, I've studied it. I got resources on it. Pastor Jim is telling it like four times. twenty week courses in them digging into the Book of Revelation. Like he knows much about that. So even within the categories, there might be some things that, you know, more of than someone else knows which category are you? And what do you do? When you don't know, you seek out answers? Or do you remain quiet? Do you raise your hand? Send an email or you? You sit on your hands and don't speak up. What is it that you do? When you don't know?
And I want you to think about why like a lot of why behind the sin of this being almost honest is pride.
That's why I teach students, don't ask questions in class, they don't want to look like they weren't paying attention. They wouldn't want to give the impression that they're not smart enough that their pride sometimes gets the best of them and they don't ask “Pastor, think of me, if I ask that question.”
I should know that question. I know he's talked about that 10 times like What's the problem? Why don't we just admit it.
I want you to think on that for just a second but I also want you to see this truth. Like why we included this week in this series? You might think? No kidding. Yeah, we need to be willing to admit it and, and, learn and grow. God wants us to grow like the Ephesian following the Ephesians to grow. If you're taking notes, I want you to think about this today. The why? Behind the what of this week three in this series, Almost Honest. My God wants us to, be TOTALLY Honest Christians, because God's goal for you, is that you get it.
But God doesn't want you to be the dark. He wants you to be in the light when it comes to spiritual matters. God's goal is that you get it on who he is, what that means, the significance of it for you now and also for eternity. God's goal is that you get it. He didn't write the words down in the book so that you could be completely confused. Like he inspired them has preserve them so you and I can have them so that we can get it.
We're sinful human beings who live in a sinful world. Therefore, we will never completely get it. Like our sinful heart, our sinful mind might get in the way. There are things we won't understand more because might be hard to understand. But that doesn't mean God doesn't want you to get it. And when you don't, he wants you to admit it.
Because there's so many wins that come from that. The Bible is filled with examples of just that. God's goal wanting people to get it. I want to share them with you today to help reinforce this truth and that is really my goal. Like I'm probably not going to tell you something life-changing today, that's going to turn you from the path of a specific sin back to God, is going to overwhelm you with, with peace in the Forgiveness that God gives. But when I drive you to the word that God gives, so that you can find those things on a regular basis, God wants you to get it in so many ways. In so many times there's so many different things. And here's the proof sections of scripture that That to us. So as we dig into them and use them to help reinforce that goal of gods and how that comes about that, you get it.
So let's journey to a scripture verse trying to go to the book of Nehemiah, how many of you have ever read the book of Nehemiah? A couple it's not the most popular blog, it's an Old Testament book. It's closer to the end of the Old Testament. It's about rebuilding walls and gods people's return from their battle, only in captivity. So I'm going to try and show off all my Bible knowledge today on you. 530 BC. God's people returned from their Babylonian captivity. Remember they rebelled against God so many times and it over and over and over again. And finally, God said enough's enough the Babylonians came in, conquered the city, tore down the Walls. Destroyed and pillaged the temple of God, and held many of them away. Like the famous story that you learned, is it kid, maybe about Daniel in the Lion's Den? Isn't that period of time when God's people have been taken off into captivity? Daniel was gone and he was in that land of Babylon, later serving different Kings. Does he remain too high? But in 530 BC, some of the Israelites were allowed to return, rebuild the walls, rebuild the Temple. And that's where Nehemiah chapter 8 gives us insight about God's goal, wanting them to get it. And how they got it. Nehemiah chapter 8 him I was the governor Ezra was the high priest together. They're working to restore the city and build up God's people spiritually.
So, on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, which is made up of men and women in all who are able to understand it. We brought the law of the book of God, the Old Testament books of the Bible. He brought it out in their presence and he read it aloud from Daybreak until noon as he faced the square before. The water gate in the presence of the men, women and others, who could stand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law. The Levites. Those are the descendants of Levi. They were the ones who served under the high priest. They were the pastor's of the day in the Old Testament. They instructed the people in the law while the people were standing there. They read from the book of the Law of God making it clear and giving the meaning. So that the people understood what was being read in the almighty, the governor as were the priests and the Levites were instructed. To people said to them all this day is Holy to the Lord. Your God do not mourn, do not weep for all. The people have been weeping as they listen to the words of the law. Like that context of when this took place kind of helps, you understand a little bit about what's going on. These people have been taken away from their Homeland, most likely didn't have access and connections to the word of God on a regular basis. Maybe they didn't have the scrolls with them in Babylon. It's also pretty good. That many of them came from generations of people who rebelled against God where Faith wasn't Central in their family, they may have never heard it. Never read it. Never been instructed in it. And so, as the hearing the word of God, the law of God in the Old Testament, it cut them to the heart. And they were weeping over the things they were hearing. Instructed in it. The Levites again said, do not grieve. It's a holy day. So, then, all the people went away to eat and a drink to celebrate with joy. Because they now understood the words that have been made known to them,
Like God's goal is for you to get it and one of the ways, We get it. Is the instruction that is given.
The God's goal is for you to get it, which is why God has put people in place to help you get it. But, just think of the things you didn't know before you started kindergarten, Like from ABC's and 123's and and all the things, simple addition, all the things that you learn, you know, how you learn that in kindergarten, it wasn't just like by sitting in the chair and Miss Jody showing up or mrs. Bigelow coming into the room and all of a sudden you became knowledgeable and everything that a kindergarten needed know. Someone had to teach you it.
That's why we go to school.
And that's true for us, spiritually. God's goal is for you to get it.
But no matter where you're at in the Spectrum, you know, much, you know, some or, you know, none we need instruction in it to help us get it.
Why we do what we do here at 922 and we offer Sunday, programming for your kids to help you as parents share Jesus with them so that they get it when we encourage you parents to read it, talk about it in your home so that so that they get it, they need instruction in it. That's why even your one-year-old. Your two-year-old can hear a story about Jesus the cross Jesus Loves Me. He died for me, they get it. As they're instructed in it. It's why we pray that you will come to church and gather regularly so that we can teach you and instruct you and dig into God's word with you so that you get it. It's why you're more than encouraged to join a growth group with Pastor Jim on Sundays or midweek. Why you get into life group to dig deeper into the Bible while your Broward is so important? Why we'd produce plans? So that it can help you in it and put resources on our website to help you get it? Like God wants you to get it. And it was, he who gave some to be pastors, some to be evangelists some, to be teachers to help people, God's people get it.
The God's goal is for you to get it. Part of humility is understanding there. Others who know more. And their instruction will help me get it.
It's how God accomplishes his goal. Thank God for the people in your life, the pastor's are teachers, the parents, the friends, who instructed you so that you get it. So that when you read it, it might cause you to weep at times over what? Breaks? God's heart. But my fill you with joy or what God has done. The great things God has done. Like we just saying about, that's proof, number one, Drunk History and time. God has given teachers of the law pastors and teachers in the New Testament Church. Because in order to get it, you need to be instructed it Which leads to proofed. To in order to get it you truly do need to understand it or it does you? No good. Like Apostle Paul got this. You understood it like the Christians in Corinth is about fifty. A d--. Paul had spent a lot of time in the city of Corinth teaching and instructing them and they were dealing with a lot of issues and they had messed up a lot of things and one of them was this. So it is with you. He said unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the are undoubtedly. There are all sorts of languages in the world yet, none of them is without meaning, is that. I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying. I'm a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker is a foreigner to me, which led Paul to say this God's goal is for you to get it. I thank God that I speak in tongues different languages. Got blessed. Paul with the ability is probably speaking Greek, probably good, speaking Latin. You might have been able to speak in other languages, spiritual gifts that God gave the early Christian Church as Christianity went from Jerusalem to Samaria. Judea Samaria to the ends of the Earth. But in the church the Apostle Paul said like I can I can speak in different languages more than all of you pray, maybe put together put in the church, the house of God I would rather speak five intelligible words. Instruct others. With 10,000 words, in a different language. Five intelligible words is far greater than 10,000 words. In a different language. Like in order for you to get it, you have to be able to understand it.
Let me give you an example. How many of you get that?
There might be some of you who are in here today who learn how to speak Spanish. Maybe you're really fluent in it. Maybe you've utilized it utilized for work. The first one is Spanish. But by the other pretty good that 99% of us in here today, when get it.
Next one, Bulgarian. Does anyone honestly get it like never spoke it understand it. The next one is French like I could speak in a pretty cool French accent and sound impressive but I couldn't translate that for the life of me the last one is to change one African language a dialect of dialects and Africa. There are so many different languages. Like all those are understandable to me probably mostly to all of you. It's going to do you? No good. But you know what it is? It's the same thing. I just spoke First, Corinthians 14, verse 19. Five intelligible words, Trump's 10,000 in a different language. Like different languages. If you don't understand them will not help you get it. Like you need to read it in a language, you understand?
God's goal is for you to get it. So we as pastors, who might know more of it, he did at times be very careful about how we speak in about it. Like, I can show off your some big fancy words impress, you with all the pastor jargon and and and things, but if you don't get it, if you don't understand it, like subjective justification and objects of justification like it Universal teachings of this that nothing. If you don't get it, if I speak in fancy words and it's understandable to you, I've done. You no good. Like God's goal is for you to get it in order to get it, you have to be able to understand it.
Depending on what age you are where you're at, what you can handle. It has to be spoken in a way learned in a way. Use resources that help you get it. Like it's God's goal. But sometimes there are things that hinder it. Because if you can't understand it, you'll never get it. And that's why it's so important to be not just almost honest, but 100% honest like it. If we as pastors speak something that you don't get because it's over your head or we used a Greek phrase or we used a fancy Pastor wear it.
Shame on us. It's not our intent. The honest and ask.
Wants. Help you get it. He uses instruction.
Which leads me to proof fastest number three to just reinforce this on your heart like let's stop being almost honest. Let's stop faking it and until we hopefully can just pass through confirmation class or when we get to that point not asking anymore.
Wants us to have on our heart. He uses people to instruct Us in and he wants us to understand it, but sometimes we have to be 100% honest and just ask the story of the man. The Ethiopian man on the way back home. As Philip was sent by God to encounter. I'm he got sent him to the the Cherry that he was in. Philip ran up to the Chariot. Heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah. I know he was a Christian. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship. So he knew who God was and yet he he could read the Hebrew or whatever. The language of Isaiah 53 was open. Into. But when asked by Philip, do you understand what you're reading said? How can I unless someone explains it to me? He couldn't understand it, even though he could read it, because he needed to be instructed. And he didn't understand what was being said by it. So he invited Philip to compensate with him. Like, here's the truth. The honest truth. The take-home Truth For Today. God's goal is for you to get it. Can I put on your heart? Can I can I call you to stop and pause a day and stop being puffed. Up my pride, instead be filled with humility and be willing to ask when you don't And here's your big, takeaway honest truth. If, if you don't get it, It's okay to admit it. I struggle with this to like I might know a lot, I want to be impressive. When you asked me a question about It's okay for me to admit, when I do it, I'll find a resource. I'll ask a question, I'll turn to someone else who might have knowledge in it to help me get it, so I can impart it to you. It's okay. If you don't, we're sinful human beings. Some things in the Bible are really hard, some things require explanation and insight. Some things require us to dig into the original language of the Bible to see what was really there, so we can understand it better. Like, all these things are important things, if you don't get it,
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It's okay. Scott's goal is that you do.
And here's why. I think if I can convince you in your confirmation classes, your, your religion classes if you're at school here or at Fox Valley Lutheran, if you are in a growth group or a life group or or you're reading through one of our reading plans. I hope and pray that you see the why behind being honest Christians when it comes to admitting, if you don't get it. Like here's the honest truth, Paul wrote to a fellow Pastor named Timothy someone. I think he took along the way from not knowing much to knowing some, to knowing a whole Lot with that was teaching it to others. He said Timothy as for you, continue in what you have learned to become convinced of Like, one of the things about getting it is remaining in it. Like faith is something that is not static, it's never stay. It's it's not something that stays in one place and doesn't have to move at all. It's always moving. It's either growing and getting stronger or it's getting weaker. And the fruit is getting less. So, Timothy, you've got a lot of it, you know, a lot of it continued in it, like that's part of getting it because you know, from whom you've learned it and how from infancy, you've known the holy scriptures. And this point is huge, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ. Jesus, why does God want you to get it? Why is God's goal for you to receive instruction in it? Why does God say? It's so important to the Apostle. Paul, like five intelligible words, From 10,000, impressive ones in a different language. Why was it so important for the Ethiopian man, on that way to understand the book and who was being talked about, in Isaiah 53, Jesus. The Savior who came and died on the cross because God wants you to get it because he doesn't want you to miss that salvation. God wants you to get it because he wants you to get there.
He wants you to know the amazing story of Jesus Christ. God's promise son who came to earth born of a virgin probably confess things like Creed. That helps summarize it for us to to reinforce it so that we can get it and hold onto it. God doesn't want you to miss out on the most amazing thing ever, eternity with him. God wants you to get it because in this life, you will have trouble in the devil will tempt you. So he wants you to know God's promises and his presence. And what he has in store for you down the road, when you're in the face of death, when you're dealing with guilt or shame, God wants you to get it about who Jesus is, and what his victory means for you.
All scripture is god-breathed every last word comes from him. Every last drop in the Bible is God's and it's useful for teaching, rebuking correcting, and training in righteousness of the servant of God, may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. God not only want you to get it so that you get there because he's saved you, he also wants you to get it so that you can bless people here.
The correct to teach to instruct like your life. Impacts other side, you know the book when you know the Commandments when you know God's call to action when you when you know the truth about baptism and the Lord's Supper, what you're receiving in at the blessings that God long should have got much, you all get it. So I don't know where the starting point is for you. Maybe it's to take starting point with Pastor, Mike Will so that you go from none or a little to more God wants you to get it. That's his goal. Like, worshiping regularly. Why do we encourage you to? Because here, we spend 30 to 35 minutes. I know some of you are like, way too long, 30 to 35 minutes teaching and instructing you in the book so that you can get it. Because God wants you to never forget it.
It's why we will celebrate and talk about what, what the Lord's Supper is, what baptism is because God wants you to get it so that you get those blessings and and appreciate them and know them for what they are. God wants you to live it so that you can bless others in it. Like that's God's goal, which leaves me with this. Like God wants us to be honest. Christian. It's okay to admit it. If you don't get it Pastor Tim 922 all of us. I want you to not only remember God's goal, I want you to remember this goal 92 to his goal. Our goal is to help you grow.
Our goal is to help you grow. To be more rooted to have strong, Jesus Roots. That's why we design our series, the way that we do. So that as we teach and as we instruct you are blessed and God's goal is accomplished. We debate the ROI of all of those grow plans that Pastor Mike invest time in videos, layouts. Is it worth it? Does it help you get it? And we believe it does. It's why we were putting energy behind Pastor Bill and family ministry in the thing called Solid Ground, so that we can help you instruct you lead in your homes. So that not only you but your kids get it. It's why we want you to be in a group and maybe you want to grow in your knowledge of a Pastor Jim at 9:00 while you come here at 9:00 maybe look at the list of topics sometime and maybe one speaks to you and come to 10:30 and go to that 9:00 right now. He's doing Hebrews. Your book of Hebrews is all about Jesus is greater than anything, everything sound, like a cool book. Something I want you to get like, our goal is to help you grow and if you don't get it, It's okay to admit it. Send us an email and talk to us after church. Our time is not Limitless but we will use our time to bless you and help you grow. Because God's goal is what we want to see happen for you. Sometimes, the only way that can happen is if we get totally honest and own it. And admit that there are times when we don't know it, Because when you do, I believe that you'll be blessed. God promised us a blessing. I pray that God blesses our goal to help you grow. Because God's will for you is that you give it.
I pray this series has blessed, you almost honest Christians. Maybe it's pushed you and nudged you to consider the importance of being honest when it comes to confessing, confronting and now, admitting, Because I believe this personally, and as a church family, will be blessed and better. When we become honest with one another.
