| A Christian Role In The Community | |
| Author: | Rev. Stephen Hosea |
| Posted on: | 2015-06-11 13:36:00 |
As a Christian, we are not of the world but we are called to be in the world. We are called to be in the world to perform our roles to serve the people in our community. In our community, we may be called to be a servant, a teacher, an employee, a manager, a government official, a religious worker or a business man and so on. Our focus of this sermon is on “A CHRISTIAN ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY”.
There are 3 points that I would like to share with you in relation to this topic: A. KNOW YOUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY; B. SHOW YOUR INTEGRITY THROUGH YOUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY; and C. REACTIONS FROM PEOPLE TOWARD YOUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNICY.
A. KNOW YOUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY
John the Baptist was a person who knew himself very well. He knew who he was and what role he performed in his community. When the Priest and the Levies sent the Jews to him and asked him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness:“Make straight the way of the LORD,” as the prophet Isaiah said” (John 1:19-27).
John knew clearly his role the community. He knew that he was not Christ. But he was a pioneer for the Messiah to open the way for him. He knew that he was a preacher to deliver the message of repentance to the Jewish people and to witness Jesus as the Lamb of God and the Son of God. He also knew that he was also the best man of the bridegroom (Jesus) who stood beside Him and accompanied Him before Jesus began his ministry. When he had finished his job, he left Jesus. Then he said, “Jesus must increase, but he must decrease.” (John 3:28-30)
In order to make impact in your community, at first, you must know what kinds of roles you are called to perform in your community. Are you called to be a teacher, a counselor, a pilot, a doctor, a clerk, a banker, a servant, a manager, a tax collector, a soldier, an accountant, an engineer, and so on? If you have known who you are in the community, you must carry out your roles properly to serve your community and to fulfill your responsibilities.
B. SHOW YOUR INTEGRITY IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Knowing your role is the first step, apply your role in the right way is next. It is important to know your role, but it is more important to show your integrity as a Christian through your role functioning in your community. There are 4 channels to show your integrity with your role in the community:
{C}1. {C}CONCERN/ CARE
When John the baptized preached the message of repentance, many people came to him and repented. They were baptized and they asked him: “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics (coats), let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” (Luke 3:11)
Here John told the people how to practice their new faith. He told them not to be selfish but to share their belongings with others. He taught them to care for the poor and to help those who were in need. This is called social concern.
Express our social care and love is the channel of showing our Christian integrity. As you share what you have with those who are in need, you show your love and care to your friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers.
In fact, sometimes you might not need to give something, but to pray for someone as your spiritual support for him, he can see and feel Christ’s love and care through you.
I remember, when the daughter of my next door neighbors suffered from leukemia, I and my wife came to their house and prayed for her, they were so touched with our care for them.
{C}2. {C}CAREER PERFORMENCE
Your career performance is the second channel of showing your Christian integrity at your work place.
When the tax collectors heard the message of repentance they came to John for counsel. They asked him, “Teacher, what shall we do? And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” (Luke 3:12-13)
The tax collectors collected taxes for the Roman government and for themselves. John did not tell them to quit their job but to do their work honestly. They should not collect more for their own and charge people more than what was appointed.
When the soldier came to John for counsel. They asked him, “And what shall we do?” He said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:14)
John told them to refrain from using their authority for personal gain. Soldiers should protect the right of the citizen, defend the country, and uphold the laws. He should not intimidate people, or use violence or false charges to rob the citizens. John told the soldier not to presume on their position but be content with their wages.
John did not call on these people to leave their job after repentance, but called them to act uprightly in their jobs. He told them to show the fruit of their repentance by their good career performances.
As a student, if you work hard and get a good grade for your study, and transfer to a good university, your good performance at school show to your friends and parents your Christian integrity.
As an employee, if you do a good job at your work place, your good performance will show your Christian integrity that magnify the name of the Lord.
{C}3. {C}CHARACTER
Your character is the third channel of showing your integrity as a Christian in your community.
Paul in Ephesians 6:6-9 advised Christian servants (employees) and Christian masters (employers) to show the right attitudes to each others.
{C}a. {C}As a Servant
Paul advises Christian servants to be obedient to their masters according to the flesh. Show proper respect to their masters with fear and trembling, and not take advantage of them. Do the job with sincere and honest heart. Do the job from the heart since he is serving Christ and doing the will of God. He should avoid eye service – it means work only when the boss is watching to give impression that he is doing a very good job. Singleness of hearts and doing the will of god from the heart both indicate the right attitude on the job. (Ephesians 6:5-7)
{C}b. {C}As a Master
Paul advises the master (employer) that he should do the same things to his servant. If he expects his servant to do his best for him, he must do his best to his servant in return. He should not threaten, exploit and show favoritism to his servant. He should care for his servant. He should submit to the Lord in heaven, for he is still under Lordship of Christ. (Ephesians 6:9)
When a servant and a master show their good character at their work place, people will see their integrities and bring glory to the Father in heaven.
{C}4. CENTRAL PURPOSE
The last channel of showing your integrity as a Christian is doing everything for the Lord’s sake and for the glory of the Lord.
Apostle Paul said: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”(I Corinthians 10:31)
Jesus Christ is the focus and the center of your life. Whatever you do, do it to the Lord and for the Lord. Even though a simple and trivial thing that you do such as you eat, you drink, you sleep, you study, you work, you have fun, you do it for the glory of the Lord. As a result, you show Jesus Christ with your integrity. You let the beauty of Christ be seen in you.
C. REACTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO YOUR INTEGRITY
As you fulfill your role according to your calling in your community and show your integrity as a Christian, people around you might react to you differently. They might react to you either negatively or positively.
{C}1. {C}NEGATIVE REACTIONS
There are at least three negative reactions you might receive from people around you:
{C}a. {C}People Hate You
Jesus said, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” (John 17:14-16)
Jesus also said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19)
Jesus told his disciples, because they were not of the world and they obeyed his Word, people around them would not like them. Don’t be surprise! People around you might do the same thing to you. They might not be happy about you because you are a Christian, especially you do a very good job.
{C}b. {C}People Persecute You
Jesus told his disciples: “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20)
Jesus pointed out how the world would persecute him, they will also persecute his followers. People around you might do something to attack you, because you have done a good performance and shown a good character for Christ.
Daniel was a good example. King Darius appointed Daniel to be one of the three key administrators over the kingdom. These three men would manage the affairs of 120 leaders who ruled over the provinces. Daniel proved to be such a superior worker that the King planned to make him to be number one administrator over the kingdom. When other leaders heard about this they were irritated and envious, and they tried to find something wrong in his work, but they found nothing to charge against him, because he was honest and trustworthy, except in the matter related to his faith. So, they attempted to make his religious practices illegal. Then Daniel was accused to violate the laws because of his daily prayers to God. He was put into the lions’ den. But God delivered him because of his faith and innocence. At the end, the king executed his accusers and brought glory to God. (Daniel 6:3-5)
{C}c. {C}People Speak Evil of You
In 1 Peter 4:1-5, Peter explained if you show difference as a Christian among the people around you and you do not do things as they do such as walk with them in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries, they will see you as a strange person. They will not praise you whereas they will speak evil of you. However, at the end, God will judge them according their deeds.
{C}2. {C}POSITIVE REACTIONS
On the contrary, when you prove your integrity as a Christian to the people around you, either at school, at work place, or at your neighborhood, some people might react to you positively. There are at least 2 positive reactions you might receive from people around you.
{C}a. {C}Praise
Joseph feared of the Lord and shown a good performance in his job. God was with him and made him proper. The Bible says:“And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. (Genesis 39:3-4)
Joseph found favor in the sight of his boss. His boss was very pleased with his job performance. He praised Joseph and show favor to him.
King Solomon says. “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” (Proverbs 22:29)
Some people will praise you and show favor to you as they see your integrity from your labor and good work.
{C}b. {C}Reward
Joseph was not only to be praised by his boss, but he was also promoted to be the overseer of his house. The Bible says: “Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.” (Gen 39:3-6)
Joseph was promoted to be the overseer in the house by his boss, because he was trustworthy and honest. His boss fully trusted him, left all the business in hand. His character and conduct was a good testimony to the true believer and living God.
People around you might do the same things to you for the good job and the good character you show in your performance.
In addition to human praise and reward, God promises that he will reward you if you do the job heartily as to the Lord not to men. As apostle Paul says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
However, sometimes it happens, when you have done the best at your work place, you do not get any reward but only criticism from your superior. Do not lose heart! God is with you. God will reward you in different ways and at different times.
A fellow Christian worked very hard in the company. He earned the money to go to college. He wanted to give his boss a good day’s work each day. The trouble was that his zeal, his diligence, and integrity showed up the laziness of some of the other employees. They started to fight back. He was falsely accused and was fired. He lost his job but he kept his integrity and good testimony. Then the Lord rewarded him a better job.
Sometimes it is difficult for you as Christian to obey God, to hold your job, and to get a promotion. Unsaved employees may take advantage of you as a Christian worker, but perhaps this can be an opportunity for you to bear witness for Christ and to win the lost soul for Christ than to make a few extra dollars.
CONCLUSION:
As a Christian, do you clearly know your role in your community? Do you perform your role well and right to your community? Do you show your integrity with your good performance and good character to witness Christ and to glorify God? No matter what people will react to you negatively or positively, do you remain keep your integrity and good testimony for Christ?
Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).