Look and Learn

Intro

Each year as we head toward our church anniversary I tend to get retrospective. Thinking back on our local church’s history to see where the Lord has used us, where we could have done better, and what He is going to do in the future.

I think this is healthy! We each need to take good account of our lives and see where God has moved, where we think He hasn’t, where we messed up, and how God has used it.

This is biblical! We see this principle all throughout the Scriptures as God’s people were never perfect and they messed up. The people who truly trusted in God would then take the blame for their fault, see where they messed up, see where they succeeded, and make alterations in their life to adjust.

The Bible would call this sort of behavior “examining.” We examine our lives, we examine our actions, out attitudes, our behaviors, and our hearts to see where we need to get closer to God and to see where God has worked so that we can give Him the glory! We look and learn.

The first step of this is, we must look to the past to learn.

Look to the Past to Learn

This is one of the most common concepts that we see God’s people do. From the Israelites in the wilderness to, my favorite story, Ezra reading the Book of the Law as the nation weeps in repentance. God’s people are called to look back on their lives and learn.

I think of three examples of this in Scripture that I want to break down with you.

The first is our good friend, King David.

King David

King David was an anomaly. He was a shepherd boy who found himself on a battlefield. He was the least of these called to lead a nation. He was a man after God’s own heart! In these respects, he was a type of Christ!

But, David still had sin in his heart. He still committed adultery and murder in the same family. He still had sin that he struggled with. Something the True Christ did not.

But, although David sinned pretty egregiously, listen to his heart in Psalm 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray: But now have I kept thy word.”

What does this mean?

David was looking back. He was seeing where he went astray. But he is also remembering his repentance. In essence he is saying “God I sinned. But thanks to your grace, I could repent and I did. Praise be to God.”

Psalm 51:10 recounts David’s repentance.

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.”

This whole chapter shows the repentance of David after impregnating Bethsheba and killing her husband Uriah.

He looked to the past to learn.

We must do the same.

Church, our fellowship is 33 years old, and we have made mistakes! We are human!

But, as we look back on certain mistakes that we have made as a local congregation, we must, like David, see the mistake, repent and correct, and move on in God’s grace. I think we do.

This goes deeper than this! In your personal life, you may find yourself like David. Committing terrible sin, forgetting about God, and in your pride, you may lose yourself.

In David’s situation, God used Nathan to confront David. And in yours, God may send someone to set you straight. Don’t take offense, like David, cry out to God in repentance and move on.

David did. Even Peter did!

Peter

As Jesus was finishing up His earthly ministry, He tells good ole’ Peter that He will deny Christ three times! Peter all but calls Jesus a liar! Surely I won’t do that!

Matthew 26:69–75 “Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”

Now, Peter had sinned before God! What He could have done was continue to weep bitterly. To abandon the faith altogether. To feel so sorry for himself that he doesn’t allow God to pick him up and use him.

Have you ever been there?

Its a sad and prideful place. It is a place where a deep understanding of the gospel does not exist. Because, God doesn’t want us to sit in our filth. He wants to pick us up out of it.

When you sin, and I mean you really mess it up, God still wants to use you! Get over yourself, repent, and trust God’s grace!

John 21:15–17 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

Jesus used Peter. Peter was used by God until the day that he was killed for his faith.

You can be used to.

Look to the past for mistakes. Repent. Move on.

Looking to the past isn’t just about looking to your mistakes either! We, as a church and as a people, should look to the past to see God’s goodness in our lives.

Paul

1 Timothy 1:15–16 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”

You know Paul right? The Pharisee, the chief Christian persecuter? The one who surely God would not use?

Here he is, praising God for saving him.

He didn’t dwell on his sinful past, no he repented and moved on from it. Allowing God to use him.

He looked longer at the blessings of God than he did his sins against God.

Do we trust God when we read His work in Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

If we do, then yes, we should look to the past to see our mistakes. But not for the purpose of throwing a pity party. Rather, we look to those mistakes so that we can repent and trust that God has truly cast them away!

Then, like Paul, we can look to the things that God has done in our life and give Him glory.

2 Timothy 4:7–8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Look to the past. See where you have messed up, but oh church, only do that so you can see how God worked in your life in spite of your sin!

Learn from the past. Be reminded of the goodness of God.

And continue to examine.

Look to the Present to Examine

So often in life, we are busy. Busy to the point that, if we are not careful, we will miss what God is doing right here, right now.

We must examine.

We must examine to make sure that we are in the will of God. We must examine to make sure that we remain as sinless as possible.

There is a situation in Scripture that shows us this well. Two friends of Jesus have Him over. One worships Christ, but the other is so focused on making sure the house looks good that she forgets what is valuable in the here and now.

Luke 10:38–42 “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Mary and Martha, sisters, hosted Jesus in their home.

Mary immediately fell at Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him. Martha got mad because she was left to cook and clean!

Talk about mixed up priorities!

May we never get so caught up in ministry that we forget the Minister, Jesus!

May we never get so distracted by the doing of ministry that we forget why we are even doing it.

Martha did. She wanted things to be good, to be perfect. And there is nothing wrong with that. Actually, there is everything right about that!

But, she made one terminal error. She got distracted by the serving to the point that she forgot who she was serving.

Church, Jesus called her out! He said “Martha, your sister has it right. Sit at my feet and worship. The casserole will be fine!”

Church, she was called to examine her life. To examine her priorities.

We should too.

What are your ministry priorities?

What is more important to you, getting out of service by 11:30 or seeing the Spirit of God move? What has more value to you, comfort or seeing lost souls saved? What burdens your heart the most, cleaning up after the pot-luck or fellowshipping with God’s people for an hour?

Don’t get so caught up in making ministry happen that you forget why you are ministering.

It is all about Jesus. Every part of it. The songs we sing, the lyrics on the screen, the BLESS outreach, the sermons and lessons, the leadership structure, the anniversary service. Everything we do must be for the Lord, not just for ceremony.

Examine yourself folks. Church, we must examine ourself as a whole.

Why do we do what we do. Why are you here this morning? Why do you serve? Is it because it needs to be done or because God deserves the glory?

Martha and Mary served Christ for different reasons. Mary did so to worship Him. Martha did so because it needed to be done.

These are so different!

And the only way we will be able to see where we are in our relationship with Christ and His Church is to stop and examine your heart.

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Be still. Know that God is God. Examine your motives this morning. Examine why you do what you do. And if the answer is anything other than “To bring God glory.” Then you need to come repent. You need to come lay that down at the feet of Jesus, and like David, cry out to God. “Create in me a clean heart oh God!”

Be still. Look. See God. Move forward.

All Through Christ

However, none of this means anything without the person and work of Christ Jesus in your life.

Looking back needs to be for the purpose of seeing Christ, looking to the present needs to be for the purpose of looking to Christ.

Life is purposeless without Jesus Christ.

See where in your life you have failed Christ, and for the Father’s sake, repent.

See where in your life that Christ has worked and glorify Him

See in your life where you are missing Christ, and work to place Him at the center of it all.

David’s repentance points to Christ. Peter’s ministry points to Christ. Paul’s life points to Christ. Mary and Martha point to Christ.

Church, it is all about Christ and Him crucified, buried, and risen again.

Make this what your life is about. Make Christ the center. Make Christ the prize. Make Christ the all!

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Be still. See Christ.

SONG

Conclusion

Church, look to your past. See where God has worked.

Look to your present and see how He is working still yet today. Look and learn.

Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Have you ever been in Peter or David’s shoes? Have you been in Paul’s? Knowing that you royally messed up? Have you been so down that you forget the goodness of God? You forget His grace? Don’t!

Trust Christ today

Trust Him to bring you past your sin and into a deeper relationship with him so you can say with Paul that you have fought a good fight. Fight the fight, fight it with Christ by your side.

Stop what you are doing and see that Christ has come into the room. Worry not about the side missions in life before you concern yourself with the forgiveness offered by the Savior!

Do all for Christ. Do all with Christ.

*salvation plea*