A Perfect Example of an Imperfect Person

The Mistakes I’ve Made

I have plenty of examples of things I’ve done you don’t want to do.

I’ve shared a lot of them. Ministry decisions, personal decisions, lessons written in my blood.

So many of them could have turned out so much worse.

Like the time playing with one of my kids’ toys.

You remember the big rubber inflated balls that have the round handle and you bounce around on them.

I thought I’d see how high I could go. Came down hard. No, the ball did not pop. But, it came down hard and squished way down to the ground. My knee. I thought I’d blown it out. It hurt.

Just a sprain. Not a kid any more. don’t try to do things like that.

Or the time I was driving from my folks house in Wichita back to Minot. Sara had something else going on. It was just me our our 1-year old daughter in the back seat.

I though I had calculated how far I could go on tank of gas. Somewhere in some small town in Nebraska I ran out of gas. I could see the gas station. I only missed by a mile.

Had to flag down a car, load up my daughter and buy a gas can and a couple of gallons of gas to get me going again.

These could have turned out so much worse. Foolish decisions. And here I sit, trying to help you make better decisions in your life. If only you knew.

But, I think you do. B/C we’ve all done these things. We hide them, bury them, act as if they never happened. No harm no foul.

Lesson learned, move on, don’t tell ppl how you know they shouldn’t do these things, just tell them not to.

“I know a guy who tried that once. It didn’t go well.”

Nobody is perfect. And yet God put people around us and says to us, follow their example. It’s been happening throughout history.

I’ve had several imperfect men set great examples for me.

My grandfather, Pete.

He had a rough start to his life. His mom died, his dad remarried. It did not go well for him. He was a hand full.

When he was 13, parents were gone, he took the family car on a joy ride around the farm in Columbus, KS. 1914.

He lost control, crashed thru the plate glass window in the house. He immediately packed his stuff and ran away to the oil fields in western KS. 13 years old.

He had a temper. He got if from his dad. His dad never came after him. After about 6 months, a sister came and got and finished raising him.

He grew up t/b a responsible, hard-working, faithful, husband, father, member of his church board, car-salesman. He sold Chevys.

He won all the sales contests in the dealership. In fact, he’d outsell all the other salesmen combined.

When my parents divorced, he stepped in and was a great father figure for me.

My first baseball coach, John Simon. He was a social worker by profession. And he spent hours and hours on the baseball field with boys and young men like me.

I played for him from the time I was 9 till I was 18.

I was the only kid on the team who parents divorced. He took me under his wing and was another great influence. He took me to Wichita State U. basketball and football games.

He invested in me. A good guy.

He destroyed his cars. He treated them horribly. Some was my grandfather’s influence, I could tell at a young age he did not know how to take care of a car. Or He didn’t car.

He’d buy and old used car. It would come to him in pretty good shape. In not time it was trashed and engine was worse.

Sadly, he treated his wives the way he treated his cars. He neglected them, too.

Imperfect guy, but he invested in me.

Frank Harris. I’ve told you about him before. He and his family led me to Christ.

As a 17-year old, the Harris family showed me what a godly family looks like. A loving, faithful, godly husband and father. They had something my family didn’t. I wanted it. I found it in Jesus.

I lived w/ them that summer. Then several summers during my college years. When you live you someone, they pull the curtain back and you see it all. He was not a perfect man. He was a good man.

He saved my life. Introduced me to Jesus. Showed me how to be a good husband and father. Gave me the start in life I needed.

Dick Armington. I met Dick in our church in IN. He was an elder, ministry leader, and a leader at his company as a food broker.

He is a godly husband and great father. He was a college basketball player at Bethel College in Mishawaka, IN where they won a national championship. He married a cheerleader, Deb. She was one of our ministry leaders too.

He oozed leadership. The church there was going thru some difficult times and I was ill-equipped to provide what that church needed at the time. I spent hours in his office picking his brain, giving him scenarios, asking for help.

Those lessons stick w/ me today. How to lead an organization in a godly way.

He’s the one the taught me the importance of asking good questions. I got this from him, I am always more impressed with the questions I’m asked than the answers I’m given.

As good a man as he was when I met him, he was not a good husband and father when he and Deb were first married. He almost blew it bad. He is blessed that Deb is a gracious and forgiving woman.

All perfect examples of imperfect people who have had a tremendous impact in the lives of many others, including me.

There are imperfect people who are perfect role-models all around you. And you have the opportunity to be one of these people in the lives of those around you.

Let’s all work together to be perfect examples of imperfect people and encourage each other to finish stronger than we started.

In Hebrews 6:13-20, the preacher takes us to an example. In fact, Abraham, is probably the best example of an imperfect person who sets a perfect example for us to follow.

Abraham finished strong. He is described as a righteous man. He is the father of the 3 most populous and prominent religions on earth today.

Father of Islam thru Ishmael

Father of Judaism thru Isaac, who was later re-named Israel.

Father of Christianity thru his descendant, Jesus.

You would have never guessed he would end up where he did by how he started out.

An Imperfect Man

Abraham’s father, Terah, was Pagan priest who worshiped other gods according to Joshua.

So, as Abraham was a little boy being bounced on his father’s knee, he didn’t tell him stories about the faith and might of God.

Creation, Tower of Babel, and the flood.

It would have been stories of other gods and their exploits.

He didn’t come from a godly family.

You think your family had some off the wall beliefs.

Yet, God saw something in him that if He made Himself known to Abraham, he knew he’d respond w/ faith.

There was nothing about how he acted that appealed to God. It was a heart and mind that would respond w/ faith in God.

So, God spoke to him one day and said, I want you to load up your wife, your herds, and all your possessions and travel to a place that I will tell you when you get there.

Family was everything in that day. Protection. Help w/ the herds and crops. Education.

Parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces and nephews. They all stayed together.

Nobody moved away from family.

Yet, God told Abraham to go.

And, who of us today travels w/out an itinerary, reservations along the way, and a destination in mind?

Sure, there are a few oddballs among us.

According to Stephen’s testimony in Acts, Abe didn’t go right away. In fact, after some time, it was his father, the Pagan priest who said, let’s load up our stuff in the Caravan and go.

And, not the Dodge Caravan w/ the fake wood panel siding that so many of us owned years ago.

Nobody did that.

Then, they stopped along the way and settled for a time. Terah died. And some time after, Abe continued the journey.

When he arrived to the land, God made him the promise that everything he could see from the mountain top would be his . He’d have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and sand in sea.

Just one thing, they were already old and had no children.

As he wandered around this land, twice he lied about Sarah.

When you entered land ruled by a king, it was common when the king was attracted to the wife for him to kill the husband and take the wife as one of his own.

So, to avoid this, thinking God needed help in fulfilling his promise. If Abe was dead, dead men have no descendants, and God’s plan would be blown up. God obviously needs help carrying out his plan.

Abe lied about Sarah saying she was his sister. That way when the king took her he wouldn’t kill Abe. His plan worked.

But, it wasn’t God’s plan. His story was half true. Abe and Sarah both were children of Terah, just different mothers. Incest wasn’t the problem it is now.

Still, a half truth is a whole lie. God didn’t need help. Not the first time, nor the second time.

Abe didn’t learn the lesson the first time. Density is and issue beyond our physics classes.

Then, later in life, Abe and Sarah had no children. So Sarah hatches a plan for Abe to sleep w/ her servant, Hagar.

Commit adultery. The end justifies the means. God obviously needs help w/ his plan. They are getting old, Abe was in his 80s and Sarah in her 70s, can’t conceive, but Hagar can. So they can take matters into their own hands and provide a son thru whom God can then fulfill his promise.

Faith? Trust? Patience?

The son they had, Ishmael, is the source of all the wars between the Muslims and Jews. The beginning of all the battles, the bombs, and bloodshed began w/ this one act.

You think you and your siblings battle.

Some years later, Jesus showed up and told Abe that the next year he and Sarah would have a son, the old fashioned way.

They both are in their 90s, now.

Impossible. Sarah overheard and she laughed, out loud, b/c she didn’t believe it. It was a chuckle, chortle, snort of disbelief.

But, then it happened. Miraculously, God kept his promise.

The Hebrew word for laughter is, Yishak.

She laughed in disbelief.

They named their son, Yishak, b/c he brought the laughter of joy, faith, and God’s fulfilled promises into their house.

When Isaac was 13 years old, God told Abe to take him up on a mountain top, build an altar, and sac his son. God wanted Abe to confirm that Abe loved God more than he loved his son.

Had Abe learned by now? Had he grown in his faith enough to follow thru? Yes.

He raised the knife over his son but before he could bring it down to do any harm God stopped him.

He had grown. He had matured into the man God knew He would.

Now, the preacher of Hebrews uses the example of Abraham and presents him as the perfect role model for the c.1 believers who were struggling w/ their faith, trusting God to do what He had promised in an un-believing culture.

A Perfect Example

Hebrews 6:13–15 NIV

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

“After waiting patiently, Abraham rec’d what was promised.”

Patiently! Are you kidding?

Remember, the bible is error-free. No mistakes.

How could he say that Abe waited patiently. B/C Abe had moments of lapse, of weak faith, of arrogance thinking God needed his help.

I highlight those for this reason.

Abe was not a perfect man, but he was a patient man. Overall, his life is characterized as righteous, patient, and godly.

And he is a perfect role-model for these 1.c Xians struggling with their own faith and arrogance. Maybe God need their help to fulfill His plan as He promised.

They are thinking there is a better way. God can’t. It’s impossible for Him to provide peace of mind in their tumultuous world.

That word for patience, means he held his feelings in restraint w/out retaliation, reaction or taking over.

God made a promise to him. In fact, it was a one-sided promise. God promised to do it no matter what Abraham did. No matter how he reacted to his adverse situation.

Abraham did not surprise him in his weak moments. God would not have chosen him if he knew Abe’s life would be a failure.

Weak moments. Mistakes over a lifetime do not make us a failure in God’s eyes.

We are imperfect as expected. But growth is possible so that we can finish stronger than how we started.

That’s Abraham’s life and he is an excellent example for us as a role-model.

Abraham is a role-model in how he lived his life, and he is also a role-model for how God interacts w/ imperfect ppl, like us.

Hope for Imperfect People

Hebrews 6:16–18 NIV

People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.

A contract, a promise to do, signed and witnessed, ends all disputes.

The dispute is in the negotiation of the contract.

Like buying a car. We haggle over price. Once we agree and sign the contract, all disputes are over.

I give you my money. You give me your car. Simple.

The same is true w/ God. The dispute is in the negotiations.

God promises to deliver salvation. Deliver us into heaven. We have to promise to believe. Believe in Jesus, all that Jesus is, have faith.

That’s it. You want to negotiate different terms? You have to do more, do less, do differently.

God’s promise is we don’t have to DO anything. We just have to believe.

God promises to give us peace of mind. All we have to do is receive it, surrender everything else we’ve tried to get peace of mind.

Do you want to negotiate that further? Is there something else you’d like to do?

In our contract w/ God we don’t have to do anything except undo everything else we’ve tried.

The contract we have w/ God is one-sided. And it ends all disputes. If you are arguing w/ God over something then you’ve tried to open up negotiations and you want to do more than God is asking you to do to get what he’s offering.

That’s like after you and I agree on what you will pay for my car, you re-open the negotiations wanting to give me more money.

What?

The preacher here says the disputes end b/c the contract is iron-clad b/c of 2 reasons.

God can’t lie. It is a literal impossibility.

Maybe he lied and produced other options besides Jesus and requires more from than belief.

No. That’s it. He can’t lie.

God has to do what He promises to do.

Maybe he didn’t make it as a promise to Abraham.

But He did. It was a promise, not a suggestion.

Maybe He didn’t deliver the land, but He did. It’s fought over even to this day. But, it’s Israel’s land.

Maybe He didn’t deliver the descendants. There are Jews all over the world.

Maybe He didn’t bless mankind thru one descendant of Abe. But He did; Jesus.

Now, b/c all disputes are over, God is delivering on his promise for these 2 reasons, so be encouraged!

Those of us who fled our former lives, I did when I was 17, we ran to Jesus and grabbed hold of hope for our future.

Our present lives changed and the prospects of our future changed.

Hang on to that hope. Hope is a certainty, we just don’t know when. Later, 11:1, the preacher defines faith as confidence in what we hope for and assurance of what we do not see.

God is at work in good ways we cannot see right now and in the process of delivering us into a glorious future even though our present lives are somewhat less than glorious.

Take hold of hope. Seize it.

Like that white-knuckled grip that a scared teenager has on the steering wheel in his driver’s ed class.

Hold onto your hope like you’re scared you’re going to lose control if you let go. B/C you’ve got a grip on the one who has control.

The One who has control carried our anchor and secured in a place where it will never break free no matter how violently our ship is tossed in the sea.

Anchored

Hebrews 6:19–20 NIV

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Hope is an anchor. That’s why we need to stay chained to it, w/ a tight grip on it.

Life gets crazy, we get tossed around like we’re in rough seas.

Jesus is the tether and He delivered it to a secure place.

The picture is, when c.1 ships would encounter a storm they would head for safe harbor. If it wasn’t safe to sail deeply into the harbor, a few sailors would get into a small boat and carry the anchor deep into the safe harbor and drop among rocks to secure it.

Then, no matter how much the boat gets tossed in the rough seas, it’s scary, it’s nauseating, things might break, but nobody is dying and the ship’s not going to be blown off into the sea.

Jesus took our anchor, behind the curtain in the temple into the holy of holies where God resides, and dropped there where it is secure.

Only the high priest can go into the holy of holies. Jesus is our high priest and capable of going back there.

Now, no matter how much we get tossed, and believe me, life will toss us. Storms will blow up out of nowhere.

Health storms, virus storms, pandemic storms, relationship storms, political storms, all crises that will cause us to question whether or not God will keep his promises to us or does he need our help.

There are ppl all around us, ppl who’ve gone before us, who have navigated these waters, some successfully, some, not so much.

Abraham is a perfect example of an imperfect role mode. God expects no more of us than what Abraham did.

Not only do we have role-models, we can be role-models. We don’t need t/b perfect. We just need t/b patient and mature in our faith so we finish better than we started.

You’ll get tossed. Life will throw you around. But hang onto your hope like you’ve got a white-knuckle death grip on the wheel.

Your anchor won’t let go. Just make sure your hands don’t let go.

We may slip a little, like Abraham. But we are secure, also, like Abraham.

Hang on to your hope.

Applications

Not perfect?

Join the club.

This is a meeting of imperfect ppl anonymous. Hi, my name is Steve and I’m not perfect.

Come from a less than stellar family?

Ever not go when God told you to go?

Ever lied b/c you were afraid of what might happen if you told the truth?

Ever thought God needed your help? Okay, you probably never thought that, but you acted like it.

Ever commit adultery?

Have you done any of these and now think God can’t use you, or is done w/ you, or has turned his back on you?

He can. He isn’t. And, He won’t.

Don’t beat yourself up. God isn’t. Forgive yourself. God has.

Nobody is perfect. Welcome to the club.

Finish strong

It’s not how you start. Finish strong.

Who really understands what it means when we say something to the effect of, “Richer or for poorer, better or worse, sickness or health, till death do us part.”?

We grow into it.

Who really understands what faith in the name of Jesus is when you’re saved for the first time?

We grow into it.

Grow into your faith. Discover more of the character of God, what He expects of you and what you can expect of Him.

Then, finish strong.

Role-models

There are ppl all around you who have been where you are and have learned things in the process of their navigation.

Ask them good questions. They didn’t need to be perfect. They just needed to grow thru it.

Follow their example.

And, be that example. Grow thru your successes and failures.

You can still be described as a patient godly person even if you have moments when you think God needs your help.

Follow the good examples in your life and be a good example in the lives of others.

Abraham is a perfect example of an imperfect role mode. God expects no more of us than what Abraham did.

Not only do we have role-models, we can be role-models. We don’t need t/b perfect. We just need t/b patient and mature in our faith so we finish better than we started.

You’ll get tossed. Life will throw you around. But hang onto your hope like you’ve got a white-knuckle death grip on the wheel.

Your anchor won’t let go. Just make sure your hands don’t let go.

We may slip a little, like Abraham. But we are secure, also, like Abraham.

Hang on to your hope.

There are imperfect people who are perfect role-models all around you. And you have the opportunity to be one of these people in the lives of those around you.

Let’s all work together to be perfect examples of imperfect people and encourage each other to finish stronger than we started.