CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN THE AGE OF COVID-19: When Character Counts - September 6, 2020
INTRODUCTION
Christian character in the age of COVID-19 counts more than ever.
In the dramatic presentation of the life of Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway hit, Hamilton, General Washington proclaims a powerful thought about perspective in the song, “History has its eyes on you.” During this historic age of COVID-19, you had better bet the world has its eyes on you.” How will you respond? What will you do? How will you determine what to do?
Freedom was a major theme in the late 18th century British colonies in America. I continue to hear the issue of freedom mentioned in light of COVID-19.
Let us put freedom in perspective.
Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong.
John Diefenbaker
A man's worst difficulties begin when he is able to do as he likes.
Thomas Huxley, "Address on University Education," Collected Essays, 1902, III, p. 236
No man in this world attains to freedom from any slavery except by entrance into some higher servitude. There is no such thing as an entirely free man conceivable.
Phillips Brooks (1835- 1893), Perennials
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.
But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”
Galatians 5:13-26 NIV
I. FREEDOM
“Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books. It costs too much to be hoarded. Help us see that our liberty is not the right to do as we please, but the opportunity to do what is right.”
Peter Marshall, Before the U.S. Senate
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!”
Galatians 5:1-12 NIV
A. Freedom in Christ
B. No longer slaves
C. Faith expressing itself in love (“The only thing that counts is . . . “
II. FREEDOM TO INDULGE THE FLESH
A. Bite and devour
B. Acts of the flesh
1. Sexual immorality
2. Impurity
3. Debauchery
4. Idolatry
5. Witchcraft
6. Hatred
7. Discord
8. Jealousy
9. Fits of rage
10. Selfish ambition
11. Dissensions
12. Factions
13. Envy
14. Drunkenness
15. Orgies
16. “The like”
C. The result
1. You will be destroyed by each other.
2. The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit.
3. Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
III. FREEDOM TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER HUMBLY IN LOVE
A. “Love your neighbor as yourself”
B. The fruit of the Spirit
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Forbearance
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self-control.
IV. THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST
A. We have crucified the flesh
1. With its passions
2. With its desires.
B. We live by the Spirit
1. Keep in step with the Spirit.
2. Let us not become conceited
3. Let us not be provoking
4. Let us not be envying each other
CHALLENGE
Choose one person to “serve humbly in love." Pick someone who is difficult to serve. Demonstrate your freedom by choosing to show them love.
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I would be honored to speak with you in the upper parking lot following the service about what God is doing in your life.
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