2/9/2014 EQUIPPING TO SERVE

God’s Character

    A Case Study: Imitate Jesus or Machiavelli?  From:  J.P. Moreland & Tim Muehlhoff, God Conversation.
    Your dream job becomes available. The night before the crucial interview, you sit down to polish your résumé. You remember reading on the Web that seven out of ten people embellish or lie on their résumés. Should you? What ethical standard should guide you in your decision?
    As you sit in front of your computer; you look over at two wristbands you’ve recently bought. Each has four letters imprinted on it. The first reads, “WWJD”.  This band reminds you that when writing your résumé you should ask the question “What would Jesus do?”  The answer is obvious: Jesus would strongly advise you not to lie on the résumé.
    The second wristband …. reads “WWMD”—or “What would Machiavelli do?”  Machiavelli was a 16th century political strategist who advocated deceit and manipulation in order to get ahead. He was ruthless in his pursuit of power and his name is synonymous with the phrase “The ends justify the means”.
    In his bestselling book What Would Machiavelli Do? The Ends Justify the Meanness, Stanley Bing uses Machiavelli’s insight to advise up-and-coming business leaders. Bing’s chapter headings reflect how Machiavelli would move up the corporate ladder.
    He would fire his own mother if necessary.
    He would be proud of his cruelty and see it as a strength.
    He would make you fear for your life.
    He would feast on other people’s discord.
    Machiavelli’s view of lying is particularly helpful in writing your résumé: Those who do not lie do not succeed, and therefore remain unknown. Machiavelli’s advice concerning your résumé is clear: lie, lie, lie!
    It’s getting late and your résumé still isn’t finished. How do you decide? Is it WWJD or WWMD?
J.P. Moreland & Tim Muehlhoff, God Conversation (IVP Books, 2007), pp.104-105
    We all continually have to make decisions.  Some don’t have a large impact - do I want this flavor or that flavor?  Other decisions impact eternity.  What we base our decisions on is what is inside us.
    We are going to take some time to talk about God’s character.  What is God like?
    Important question:  Why talk about this topic?
    As we work through the theme of Equipping To Serve, we won’t be fully equipped to serve God if we don’t grasp what He is like.  In the story of the person trying to decide if he should cheat on his resume, some might wonder why it makes a difference.  If “everyone” is cheating, he will be left behind if he doesn’t cheat as well.  Why does God care about the business world?
    God’s character shows us who He is.  We must emulate His character if we are going to be Christ-like.  That’s a basic definition of Christian.
Acts 11:25-26 NKJV
25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
    Antioch was the largest and possibly the most important city in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. Because of persecution, the believers were scattered.  The gospel message came to Antioch and a strong church grew.  Paul and Barnabas spent a long time there teaching and training the church.
    Up to that time, those in the church called themselves
believers
disciples
The Way
saints
    It was at Antioch that the term Christians was first used.  It was probably people outside the church who coined the term.  At first, it likely was to insult believers.  But the church considered this name as a mark of honor because it directly identified them with Christ.
    Because we must learn to be like Jesus and live according to the Bible, we must be like the early church and not be afraid to separate ourselves from the ungodliness, corruption and wickedness in our society so we can identify with Jesus.  Sadly, the term Christian has become so generic that it often doesn’t mean anything.  We should present a picture of our Savior and reflect a deep relationship and devotion to Him.
    Let’s dig in to this theme of Character.  Starting with some definition.
Character:
**The combination of qualities or features that distinguishes one person, group, or thing from another.
**A distinguishing feature or attribute, as of an individual, group, or category.
**Moral or ethical strength, quality that make up the inner nature of a person.
**A description of a person’s attributes, traits, or abilities, integrity.
**Qualities that make a person unique
**Public estimation of someone; reputation.
**In character:  Consistent with someone’s general character or behavior.
**Character assassination: a vicious personal verbal attack, especially one intended to destroy or damage a public figure’s reputation.
    If we are going to look at God’s character, we must ask the question:  What is God like?  A few thoughts from a Psalm.
Psalm 103 NKJV
A Psalm of David.
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, 18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them. 19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
    We can understand characteristics of the one true God as we see  similarities to human qualities.  This does not mean that we have divinity in us, for God’s character is far above anything we can achieve as humans.  God is love.  We can love.  We cannot love anywhere close to the point that God loves.
    God created us in His image.  We have the ability to submit to Him and see Him change us to be more like Him.
    Let’s look at some of the things that God IS.  His characteristics.
God is good.
Psalm 106:1 NKJV
1 Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Mark 10:18 NKJV
18 So Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
    When you read the creation story in Genesis, you find often that it says God made _________ and it was good.  It is an extension of his own nature.
    Because He is good He provides for all of us.  He feeds the animals in the wild.  He provides for our needs.  He is so good that He takes care of those who don’t serve Him.
Matthew 5:45 NKJV
45 . . .  for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
    We see God’s goodness to people who earnestly depend on him.
Psalm 145:18-20 NKJV
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. 20 The LORD preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy.
DISCUSSION
This first question is more for you to reflect than to specifically respond.  Do you often think about your character?  Do you think about the impact it makes in your life?
What should a Christian do to develop a Christ-like character?
How does a Christ-like character impact the world?
How can we all work on this challenge together?

Prayer