A Life Without Regret

Introduction

Last week we were reminded of the importance of a personal resolve to follow Christ all the way to the finish line of the course that He has set for us.

Paul was determined not to allow anything to hinder him from finishing his race.

Paul is aware that this will likely be the last face to face meeting that he will have with anyone from the church at Ephesus.

Paul had behaved himself in such a manner that as he concludes his time with the elders from Ephesus he can confidently say that he has not regrets for he has done all that God commanded in his interactions with them.

As we near the finish line of our lives will we have this same confidence. Could we make similar statements to those that were boldly given by the apostle?

Let us now examine these bold declarations.

Can we confidently declare that we are:

“Pure From the Blood of All Men”

This is a striking statement that ought to grab our attention and cause us to examine ourselves.

God has given to each of us a sphere of influence. People that we have the responsibility for who are depending upon us to tell them the truth and to lead them in the way that they should god.

As a pastor I have a responsibility to every person who come through the doors of High Plains Baptist Church. I have a serious obligation to the members of the church but I am also responsible for those who maybe only attend infrequently or even visit only once to make sure they hear the truth of the gospel.

I believe my accountability extends even beyond the four walls of the church into our community. I have a solemn duty to do all that I can to see that the people in this community have the opportunity to hear the gospel clearly presented.

You also have a sphere of influence for which you are responsible. It may be as simple as a mother or father who has a duty to declare the gospel to your children.

Maybe you are teaching a Sunday school class. Understand tonight that you will be held accountable for those boys and girls or men and women.

Maybe your sphere of influence includes coworkers who know that you profess to be a Christian over whom you wield some level of influence.

Whatever the case each of us have a responsibility to every person God has given us the opportunity to influence.

As Paul makes this declaration is is likely that he may have had an old testament passage in mind.

Ezekiel 33:1-9- we are the watchmen of this world and we have a duty to proclaim the truth to those whom God gives us opportunity to minister to.

There were certainly some men and women who rejected the gospel message that Paul proclaimed in Ephesus but those who remained lost had at least had the opportunity to hear the truth from the Apostle Paul.

Not everyone that God places within our sphere of influence will be saved, but let us make certain that it is not because we did not tell them of Christ.

Paul was simply declaring that there would not be anyone in Ephesus who could say “Paul, why did you not tell me about Jesus, why did you not warn me of the consequences of my sin, why did you not explain to me the way of salvation?”

Paul could confidently declare himself “pure from the blood of all men” because he could also declare:

“ I Have Not Shunned to Declare Unto You All The Counsel of God”

Paul had not only faithfully declared the gospel but he had been careful to declare all that God had instructed him to declare.

It is an unfortunate reality that we are living in a generation where much of the “counsel of God” is being ignored or explained away rather than boldly being declared.

There are so many today who profess themselves to be teachers or preachers, who neglect entire doctrines in favor of pleasing people rather than pleasing God.

As a pastor I have a responsibility to declare all that God has said. I cannot shy away from controversial, uncomfortable, or unpopular truths.

The same is true within your sphere of influence. We cannot neglect certain portions of scripture as we teach our class or converse with our coworkers but we must simply declare what God has said.

Paul was not concerned with the happiness of the people that he ministered to, he was much more concerned with their holiness.

Ephesians 5:22-29- Paul’s instruction for the husband and wife-certainly there were those who disagreed but yet Paul was intent on declaring the truth God had instructed him to declare.

Paul warned young Timothy about what we are seeing in our generation II Timothy 4:1-4- they will seek out someone who will tell them what they want to hear.

Let us never be among those who will not declare the whole counsel of God, who are merely interested in tickling the ears of our hearers.

Can you make this statement with regard to the people that are under your influence? Have you declared the whole counsel of God or have you held back for fear of being mocked and ridiculed?

Conclusion

If we find ourselves tonight unable to make either of these statements it is time that we amend our ways.

Are there people within our sphere of influence whose blood would be upon our hands because we have failed to tell them of Christ?

Are there people within our sphere of influence who are ignorant of the truth because we have failed to declare the whole counsel of God?

It will take a serious resolve for us to share the gospel of Christ on every occasion that God gives us opportunity! It will take great courage to declare the whole counsel of God even when the truth declared is unpopular or uncomfortable!

We must do these things because otherwise we will have to live with the regrets of our failures. We will be left always wondering what might have been if we had simply been obedient to the Lord in these areas.

This world desperately needs a group of Christian men and women who are determined to be “pure from the blood of all men” and to “declare all the counsel of God!”